Synonyms

overstep

American

[oh-ver-step] / ˌoʊ vərˈstɛp /

verb (used with object)

overstepped, overstepping

to go beyond; exceed.

to overstep one's authority.

overstep British

/ ˌəʊvəˈstɛp /

verb

(tr) to go beyond (a certain or proper limit)

"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

Etymology

Origin of overstep

before 1000; Middle English oversteppen, Old English ofersteppan. See over-, step

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.

On 22, Smith was caught at cover, only for replays to show Green overstepped.

From BBC

Talk to some folks in your family whom you trust to make sure you’re not overstepping any unspoken boundaries that underlie family relationships.

From MarketWatch

Manager Chris Wilder said his players did not "overstep the mark" and dismissed the incident as something that happens "at every club up and down the country, three or four times a year".

From BBC

Hikari channels that quality to good use in “Rental Family” but never oversteps.

From Los Angeles Times

Some point out it’s a small percentage of visitors who overstep.

From The Wall Street Journal

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