to overreach
1
7.9
- verb
- /ˌoʊvərˈriːtʃ/
:
burlar a
- Republicans did not lose because they overreached.
Examples
-
Yet Klein, who became known affectionately to Albertans as "King Ralph," overreached near the end of his reign.
Academic text (2017) -
Could it be that some individual in the Company just overreached himself?
-
In the flush of success, though, he overreached himself.
Fiction book (2001) -
Proud of its successful invasion of Panama, the Pentagon overreached by announcing the deployment of an aircraft carrier to Colombia.
Academic text (1991) -
But Obama also displayed what Edwards called a "misunderstanding of leadership," which put too much emphasis on his own powers of persuasion and led Obama to "overreach" on health care.
Blog text (2) -
He nurtured his ambition and successes shrewdly, though he often overreached.
Academic text (1997) -
He thought he could outsmart everyone, but his plan ultimately overreached and backfired.
-
The politician's attempts to gain more power were seen as an overreach that alienated his supporters.
-
In trying to impress his peers, he overreached and ended up making a fool of himself.
Synonyms
∞
1.4
To defeat another person or team in a contest
54
4.1
To get an advantage over someone by being clever
42
4.0
Defeat someone or something completely using greater force
33
3.8
To use more strength to defeat and control a person or thing
15
7.7
Gain an advantage over someone by using skill or clever plans
11
4.7
To beat someone by being more clever than them
5
6.7
To beat someone by being more clever
1
8.9
To be more clever than someone to win in a competition or argument
Compounds
2
6.2
Action by a government that goes too far and controls private life or business
How Clever
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Overreach comes from the parts over- meaning 'too much' and reach meaning 'to stretch or get to something'. Think of someone stretching past another person's hand to take advantage, so to overreach someone is to try to outwit or beat them by going beyond fair limits.