overcommit

[ oh-ver-kuh-mit ]

verb (used with object),o·ver·com·mit·ted, o·ver·com·mit·ting.

to commit more than is feasible, desirable, or necessary.

Origin of overcommit

First recorded in 1950–55; over- + commit

Other words from overcommit

o·ver·com·mit·ment, noun

Words Nearby overcommit

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use overcommit in a sentence

He’s well-known for his sharp route running, and he possesses an ability to patiently read the leverage of his defenders, then quickly change direction and break their ankles when they overcommit.
Cooper Kupp And Ja’Marr Chase Put On Shows This Year. Who Has The Edge In The Super Bowl? | Josh Hermsmeyer | February 11, 2022 | FiveThirtyEight
If defenders overcommit to halting his forward momentum, he slithers through horizontal cracks with ease.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Knows Only One Gear: Drive | Louis Zatzman | February 26, 2021 | FiveThirtyEight
If a defensive coordinator will reliably overcommit defenders to the box in obvious passing situations, opposing offenses could potentially take advantage.
Are Defensive Play-Callers Consistent Enough To Be Exploitable? | Josh Hermsmeyer | December 24, 2020 | FiveThirtyEight

British Dictionary definitions for overcommit

overcommit

/ (ˌəʊvəkəˈmɪt) /

verb-mits, -mitting or -mitted

(tr) to promise, undertake, or allocate more than the available resources justify

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Browse