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the amount of money drawn or withdrawn thus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:
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
The irregularity of student finance payments made it difficult to budget, which Denby said often caused her to rely on an overdraft alongside income from a part-time job.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2026
The only money rule I knew then was “Don’t overdraft your bank account.”
From Slate ● Feb. 19, 2026
Ashamed for not understanding why we were always paying late fees and overdraft charges.
From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle
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
One victim was left hospitalised with stress after their finances were "destroyed" when loans, credit agreements and overdrafts were taken out using their name.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2025
Now for the truly hilarious part: U.S. banks get free intraday overdrafts from the Fed.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 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
Moreover, mortgage loans and bank overdrafts bore a greatly reduced rate of interest.
From Our First Half-Century: A Review of Queensland Progress Based Upon Official Information by Queensland
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.
