Overrun

/ˌəʊ.vəˈɹʌn/ · verb

Meaning

(transitive) To defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive) To defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively.
2. (transitive) To infest, swarm over, flow over.
3. (transitive) To run past; to run beyond.
4. (intransitive) To continue for too long.
5. (printing, transitive) To carry (some type, a line or column, etc.) backward or forward into an adjacent line or page.
6. (transitive) To go beyond; to extend in part beyond.
7. (transitive) To abuse or oppress, as if by treading upon.
8. An instance of overrunning.

Example Sentences

The vine overran its trellis; the field is overrun with weeds.

those barbarous nations that over-ran the world

As President Obama turns his attention once again to filling out a cabinet and writing an Inaugural Address, this much is clear: he should not expect to bask in a surge of national unity, or to witness a crowd of millions overrun the Mall just to say they were there.

The athlete overran the finish line and kept going.

One line overruns another in length.

Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

The collision occurred when an up empty electric train travelling on the up main through line overran the inner home signal and rammed the side of the departing 6.14 p.m. Waterloo-Weymouth steam train, which was leaving platform 12 for the down main through line.

The performance overran by ten minutes, which caused some people to miss their bus home.

Synonyms for overrun

Antonyms for overrun

Related Words

Word Forms

• overruns
• overrunning
• overran
• overrun
• over-run

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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