Synonyms

overreact

American

[oh-ver-ree-akt] / ˌoʊ vər riˈækt /

verb (used without object)

to react or respond more strongly than is necessary or appropriate.

overreact British

/ ˌəʊvərɪˈækt /

verb

(intr) to react excessively to something

"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

Other Word Forms

overreaction noun

Etymology

Origin of overreact

First recorded in 1960–65; over- + react

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.

Financial markets are always looking ahead and can overreact day to day.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 6, 2026

“We advise investors not to overreact to headlines,” Edward Jones strategist Angelo Kourkafas said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

Traders and strategists cautioned investors not to overreact to these early shifts.

From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026

“History suggests that the stock market is prone to overreact to major technological advances, even if the technology itself turns out to be revolutionary.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 19, 2025

People around here didn’t overreact even when they hadn’t seen you for a year.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023