overstay
Americanverb (used with object)
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overstays,
present (3rd person singular)
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overstayed,
past participle, past
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overstaying
present participle
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to stay beyond the time, limit, or duration of; outstay.
to overstay one's welcome.
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Finance. to remain in (the market) beyond the point where a sale would have yielded the greatest profit.
verb
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to stay beyond the time, limit, or duration of
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finance to delay a transaction in (a market) until after the point at which the maximum profit would have been made
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to stay in New Zealand beyond (the period sanctioned by the immigration authorities or the period of a visitor's permit)
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to stay (at a party, on a visit, etc), longer than pleases the host or hostess
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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overstaysimple
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overstayssimple
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have overstayedperfect
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has overstayedperfect
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am overstayingprogressive
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are overstayingprogressive
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is overstayingprogressive
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have been overstayingperfect progressive
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has been overstayingperfect progressive
Past
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overstayedsimple
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had overstayedperfect
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was overstayingprogressive
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were overstayingprogressive
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had been overstayingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overstay
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:
“What triggers us to sell a stock is seeing fatigue in the fundamental growth profile. You don’t overstay your welcome.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
There are also individuals who arrive legally, for example via a work or study visa, and then overstay their limit.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
The majority of Spain’s undocumented migrants arrive by plane on a temporary visa, which they then overstay.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026
It urged Indonesians leaving scam sites to report to the embassy, which could assist them with securing travel documents and overstay fine waivers in order to return home.
From Barron's ● Jan. 21, 2026
“So we’re going to have to work together to make sure he doesn’t overstay his welcome.”
From "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness
“The Visit,” set in motion by a gripping premise, slightly overstays its welcome.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
In December, the U.S. expanded travel restrictions to include people from more than two dozen African nations, citing concerns about visa overstays and a need for more rigorous vetting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
Visa overstays by Indians have remained steady at 1.5% since 2016.
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2025
But in people with chronic pain, inflammation often overstays its welcome.
From Slate ● Feb. 25, 2023
“He’ll find that there’s a greater man than he is on board, if he overstays his leave,” I heard him remark, with a laugh, as he entered the inn.
From Marmaduke Merry A Tale of Naval Adventures in Bygone Days by William Henry Giles Kingston
The Department of Homeland Security says he entered the country legally in 2022 but overstayed by more than four years, that he has no pending applications and that he accepted voluntary departure.
From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026
Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in the NFL, overstayed his visa after his brief career with the Indianapolis Colts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Daniel Adongo, 37, who was a linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts for two years, overstayed his visa in 2016, the year after his NFL career ended, according to the US authorities.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Over three-quarters of the Ghanaian returnees had overstayed their visas, while all 854 Nigerians were residing in South Africa illegally.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Holly came by with the check, an unsubtle reminder that we’d overstayed our welcome.
From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green
Now, the government is planning to increase the number of employees at the Immigration Services Agency by about 230 people, aiming to strengthen enforcement against foreigners illegally overstaying.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
But the level of tension is such that as the chefs battle the clock, the pantry, the rain-delayed customer traffic and people overstaying their welcome, they might as well be performing organ transplants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
Shortly after Museveni took power in 1986, ending years of bloodshed and chaos under murderous tyrants, the young president mused that leaders overstaying their welcome lay at the heart of Africa's problems.
From Barron's ● Jan. 12, 2026
ICE accused Clarke of overstaying his visa and arrested him.
From Slate ● Dec. 20, 2025
The guard opens the door, probably to yell at me for overstaying my welcome, but I’m already making my way out.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
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