Word
overreach
Phoneticsover·reach
US/ˈoʊvɝˌɹitʃ/
UK/ˌəʊvəɹˈiːtʃ/
Definition
v. to try to do more than you can or should do, often by using too much power or control. You use this when someone goes past a safe or fair limit.
v. to exceed proper limits of authority, ability, or scope in attempting something. Often implies overextension that risks failure or backlash.
Examples
“She does not overreach when she sets her goals.”
“The startup overreached by opening three new offices before its main product earned a profit.”
“By promising deep tax cuts while expanding public spending, the government overreached, creating expectations it could not meet without heavy borrowing.”
Examples
simple
“She does not overreach when she sets her goals.”
contextual
“The startup overreached by opening three new offices before its main product earned a profit.”
complex
“By promising deep tax cuts while expanding public spending, the government overreached, creating expectations it could not meet without heavy borrowing.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “overreach” in context.
Verb
01. overreach authority
“Critics say the president overreached his authority with the emergency decree.”
verb + noun
02. overreach beyond remit
“The regulator overreached beyond its remit by fining small bloggers.”
verb + prep + noun
03. overreach into privacy
“The new bill would let the state overreach into personal privacy.”
verb + prep + noun
04. overreach mandate
“The committee overreached its mandate by investigating private companies.”
verb + noun
05. overreach power
“The police were found to have overreached their powers during the protest.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. dangerously overreach
“The president dangerously overreached by ordering arrests without judicial approval.”
adv + verb
07. grossly overreach
“The court ruled that the agency had grossly overreached its statutory powers.”
adv + verb
Noun
08. overreach oneself
“The startup overreached itself by expanding into three countries at once.”
verb + pron
09. accused of overreaching itself
“The government was accused of overreaching itself with the new surveillance law.”
10. grossly overreach its powers
“The court found that the agency had grossly overreached its powers.”
11. overreach beyond its remit
“Critics argue the regulator has overreached beyond its remit on tech fines.”
12. overreach one's authority
“The mayor was accused of overreaching her authority by approving the deal alone.”
Usage
Used both transitively and intransitively; reflexive 'overreach oneself' is common, especially to describe excessive ambition.
Real-World Examples
“When their dream collapsed following the 2008 financial crash, The Queen of Versailles turned from a story of Xanadu-like grandeur to one of hubristic overreach.” “Democratic leaders began their new era of control with caution, reflecting their persistent concern that acting too quickly to press investigations of Trump's ties with Russia or his personal tax records may be perceived as overreach and cause a backlash in the next election cycle.” “For critics of the grouse's listing, mostly businesses and Republicans, putting a regulatory fence around the grasslands to protect the bird would represent the height of "big-government" overreach.” Etymology
The verb is from Middle English overrechen (“to rise above; to extend beyond or over; to encroach; to catch, overtake; to reach; to obtain wrongfully (?); to take up (a book) to revise it”) [and other forms], equivalent to over- + reach; the noun is derived from the verb or from the phrase to reach over.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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