overachieve
Americanverb (used without object)
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to perform better or achieve more than people are generally expected to, often because of high ambition, pressure from family, etc.
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to perform, especially academically, above the potential indicated by tests of one's mental ability or aptitude.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of overachieve
1950–55; over- + achieve, or by back formation from overachiever
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Paradoxically, the social pressure to overachieve as a parent only seems to intensify with mothers’ increased participation in the labor market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
There is hope however that China will "underpromise but overachieve" as it has with some previous targets, including on renewable energy.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2025
"They'll put down a certain number, which is not great, and then they will overachieve it, and China does that a lot."
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2025
The Diamondbacks also tell themselves they play in a way that enables them to overachieve.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 13, 2024
For outsiders, the Pacific Island teams often overachieve and Fiji beat England in the buildup to lay down a warning to pool rivals Wales and Australia.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 1, 2023
McDermott noted that the company overachieved in the second quarter with some federal deals, but was still raising its full-year forecast.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Meanwhile, gross margins overachieved in the quarter, on the strength of tariff recovery.
From Barron's ● May 13, 2026
Many felt that Bournemouth overachieved when they finished ninth last season - and for a while there was even talk of Europe.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2025
“I’m happy because we’ve overachieved and exceeded expectations.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2024
The Seahawks vastly overachieved expectations after trading quarterback Russell Wilson and now have a No. 5 overall draft pick coming, courtesy of the Broncos, to add a high-impact player.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 13, 2023
Iraola has a history of overachieving everywhere he has been, beginning with his playing career.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Other overachieving systems—including the active hydraulic roll stabilization, the rear-wheel steering, even the acoustically insulated convertible top, your honor—contributed to my oblivious delinquency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026
He has the uncanny ability to coach toughness into overachieving teams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2025
And now with “Love Hurts,” Marvin channels his overachieving tendencies into his second career, earning the title of Regional Realtor of the Year — with the framed certificate to prove it.
From Salon ● Feb. 7, 2025
He was the embodiment of the myth that had made Permian so enormously popular—small, overachieving, white, fearless.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
