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Glite Dictionary
🏃 To try too much 🚫 To go too far 🧠 To outsmart
to overreach

to overreach

4 6.2
To go beyond what you are allowed to do
  • verb
  • /ˌoʊvərˈriːtʃ/
: extralimitarse
  • Unfortunately, there are signs that the FTC may be overreaching in its quest to establish the theory of innovation markets.
  • overreaching law

And it's cases like this where the government really has overreached, Some of these institutions really have overreached and there's going to be pushback.

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Examples

  • We're going to use the heavy hand of the state to overreach into your individual liberties.

  • Some civil rights groups have raised understandable concerns about the potential for government overreaching.

    Academic text (2017)

  • At some point, Israel will overreach to the detriment of the US.

    Blog text (29)

  • Take a second to look at reality before making overreaching statements, please.

    Blog text (4)

  • I am worried about the overreaching government, particularly when it comes to surveillance and excessive regulation.

    Blog text (30)

  • The states need to become strong to stand against the federal government when it overreaches its bounds.

    Blog text (3)

  • Limited in scope, the founding fathers feared an overreaching federal government and put in place limits on its powers.

    Blog text (2)

  • And conservatives fear that an overreaching state, fueled by exaggerated media reports, will prosecute people for victimless crimes.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The company overreached in its attempt to implement strict new policies that angered many employees.

  • In trying to control every aspect of the project, the manager overreached and alienated his team.

Synonyms

to exceed
vsto overreach
269 4.1

To be greater than a set amount or beyond what people expect

is narrower, focusing on improper authority or action rather than simple quantity
to go too far
vsto overreach
242 4.2

Say or do something that is not acceptable and may hurt people

is used more for abusing authority or acting beyond proper power
to overstep
vsto overreach
43 5.9

To go beyond a limit or rule

is specifically about exceeding proper power or authority limits
to take too far
vsto overreach
35 5.3

To go beyond what is reasonable or acceptable

usually covers misuse of power or acting beyond allowed limits
to overstep the mark
vsto overreach
  • UK
2 6.2

To behave in a way people think is not acceptable

is broader, focusing on misusing position or power rather than a single act
to overexercise
vsto overreach
1 6.1

To use power or rights too much and harm people

refers more generally to going beyond what is proper in authority or action
to overleap
vsto overreach
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To go beyond safe limits and harm your success

is about exceeding proper power or action without the self-harm implication

Antonyms

to confine to
112 4.8

To keep something within set limits, for example in a room or a topic

Compounds

government overreach
2 6.2

Action by a government that goes too far and controls private life or business

How Excessive

to go too far
242 4.2
to overreach
4 6.2
to overstep
43 5.9
to exceed
269 4.1

Surface Forms

overreach infinitive
overreached past
overreached past participle
overreaching present participle
overreaches third person singular

Morphology

overreach = reach (transparent) = over + reach

Productive and literal: 'over-' (beyond/exceed) + 'reach' (the limit or scope), yielding 'exceed what is allowed or proper' in contexts like authority.

Etymology

Overreach comes from the parts over- meaning 'too much' and reach meaning 'to extend or go to a place'. Think of stretching past a line or rule, so to overreach is to go beyond what is reasonable or allowed, especially in power or action.