overreact

American  

[oh-ver-ree-akt] / ˌoʊ vər riˈækt /

verb (used without object)

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

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overreact British  

/ ˌəʊvərɪˈækt /

verb

1. (intr) to react excessively to something

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Other Word Forms

• overreaction noun

Etymology

Origin of overreact

First recorded in 1960–65; over- + react

Explanation

To overreact is to respond to something in an overly excited, angry, or fearful way. If you're pretty sure your dad will overreact when he hears about your fender bender, you might want to tell your mom first. Whenever someone reacts more emotionally than seems appropriate, they overreact. You might overreact to a happy plot twist in your favorite TV show by cheering and jumping up and down — and a city bus driver might overreact to a passenger listening to loud music by pulling the bus over to the side of the road and turning to yell angrily. Overreact was first used in the 1960s, probably by historian and literary critic Lewis Mumford.

Example Sentences

If you lived through the 1970s oil shocks, you may overreact when you see $4 a gallon at the pump.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

“I think panic is the wrong word, but I didn’t overreact on Thursday …” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

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

From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026

That’s largely because Wall Street tends to overreact to those early numbers, Hulbert wrote.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 30, 2025

“It’s just a meeting, y’all, I promise. It’s not even the actual protest. Even then...we should probably wait to overreact until we know what it is this protest will even be.”

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

Related Words

• lose it
• scare