overachieve
Americanverb (used without object)
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to perform better or achieve more than people are generally expected to, often because of high ambition, pressure from family, etc.
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to perform, especially academically, above the potential indicated by tests of one's mental ability or aptitude.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of overachieve
1950–55; over- + achieve, or by back formation from overachiever
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:
Paradoxically, the social pressure to overachieve as a parent only seems to intensify with mothers’ increased participation in the labor market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
There is hope however that China will "underpromise but overachieve" as it has with some previous targets, including on renewable energy.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2025
"They'll put down a certain number, which is not great, and then they will overachieve it, and China does that a lot."
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2025
The Diamondbacks also tell themselves they play in a way that enables them to overachieve.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 13, 2024
For outsiders, the Pacific Island teams often overachieve and Fiji beat England in the buildup to lay down a warning to pool rivals Wales and Australia.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 1, 2023
McDermott noted that the company overachieved in the second quarter with some federal deals, but was still raising its full-year forecast.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Meanwhile, gross margins overachieved in the quarter, on the strength of tariff recovery.
From Barron's ● May 13, 2026
“I never knew if I overachieved or underachieved. I just did what I loved,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2026
I feel sorry for Everton boss David Moyes, because he overachieved so much when he took over in January.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2025
We’ve overachieved, almost, and now of course the goal is to run for 24 hours.”
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 8, 2023
Cauich: Host nations have a history of overachieving, and this World Cup likely will be no different.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
Other overachieving systems—including the active hydraulic roll stabilization, the rear-wheel steering, even the acoustically insulated convertible top, your honor—contributed to my oblivious delinquency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026
Well, we're going to, because Poland's top-flight Ekstraklasa is both sublime and ridiculous this season - chaotic, competitive and overachieving in compelling narratives.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
And now with “Love Hurts,” Marvin channels his overachieving tendencies into his second career, earning the title of Regional Realtor of the Year — with the framed certificate to prove it.
From Salon ● Feb. 7, 2025
Speaking to me, he added, “Sorry. Hazards of having overachieving parents. Papa got his PhD at twenty-eight and Mom was the youngest person in her department to achieve tenure.”
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
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.
