overreact

/ˈəʊvəɹiˈækt/OH-vur-ree-AKT

/ˈoʊvɚɹiˈækt/OH-vur-ree-AKT

Meaningto act back too much

Common meaning: to respond more strongly than is needed

overtoo much; above
reagain; back
actdrive, lead; do, actLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 74 · scan

‘too much’ + ‘again’ + ‘drive, lead’ → overreact

Journey through time

Latinagō, ēgī, āctum‘drive, lead’
Englishoverreact‘to respond more strongly than is needed’ · today

re- also in: react rebel relax repel reply

act also in: actuate exact react agenda exactly

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin agō ‘drive, lead; do, act’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry agō, p. 74 · dictionary scan

Roots

agō, ēgī, āctum Latin “drive, lead; do, act”

Related words

actuate agenda exact exactly hyperactive interact pedagogy proactive react reaction reactive reactor

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