overdraft
Americannoun
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overdrafts
plural
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an act or instance of overdrawing a checking account.
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a check overdrawn on a checking account.
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the amount overdrawn.
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an excessive drawing on or drawing off of something.
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a draft made to pass over a fire, as in a furnace.
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a draft passing downward through a kiln.
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Metalworking. a tendency of a rolled piece to curve upward after passing through a stand, occurring when the lower roll is faster than the upper.
noun
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a draft or withdrawal of money in excess of the credit balance on a bank or building-society cheque account
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the amount of money drawn or withdrawn thus
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of overdraft
Vocabulary lists containing overdraft
Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - Introductory
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Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - High School
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Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - Middle School
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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:
The list of expenses goes on: credit-card debts, overdraft fees, interest on loans, funeral costs, unpaid taxes, administration fees for the estate.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
That same month “was the first month I didn’t overdraft my credit card,” he said, with the majority of his income today coming from the restaurant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
In the two years after his first Rabo loan, McClain fell into overdraft dozens of times, sometimes almost daily.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
She has "got in a bit of debt" and has an overdraft.
From BBC ● May 4, 2026
Ashamed for not understanding why we were always paying late fees and overdraft charges.
From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle
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Rabo personnel visited McClain at his Kentucky farm to discuss overdrafts and other issues that had raised questions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
"We get lots of clients coming in struggling with credit cards, loans, overdrafts, council tax, their rent, mortgage," says Blake Harmer, the Citizens Advice supervisor.
From BBC ● May 4, 2026
Banks would have fewer excess reserves, so they’d need overdrafts again.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2025
An important one is that consumers must opt in to overdraft protection, so they will know that overdrafts will be allowed — but will carry a fee.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2024
But it will take time and the bank overdrafts are urgent.
From Lady Connie by Mrs. Humphry Ward
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.