over·stretch
ˈō-vər-ˌstrech 
plural overstretches
: the act or an instance of stretching something beyond normal limits
an overstretch of political power
… a classic case of military and economic overstretch.—
Robert G. Patman
Robert G. Patman
over·stretch
ˌō-vər-ˈstrech
overstretched; overstretching
: to stretch (something or someone) to excess or beyond normal limits
Worsted yarn, and any yarn inclined to "kink" should be weighted slightly as it dries, but take care not to overstretch the wool.—Eileen Hobden
Eileen Hobdentemperature changes causing the tire to overstretch
They overstretched [=overextended] themselves financially.
Too few staff means overstretched [=overburdened] crews and patients waiting for longer.—Christina McAnea
Christina McAneaExamples of overstretch in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
Now Syria has become a symbol of overstretch.
—Jeremy Shapiro, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2025
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Omar’s growing outrage, especially when precious time is lost because of jammed phone lines, troubling silences and false assumptions, rankles Mahdi, the most overstretched of anyone at the call center.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overstretch
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Noun
But the cost of this imperial overstretch has prompted Washington to shift the cost burden toward its former allies, leading to a new militarization in Europe and East Asia where most countries now aim to increase military spending.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
Now Syria has become a symbol of overstretch.
—Jeremy Shapiro, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
The severity and thus the impact of an abdominal muscle strain depends on how badly the muscle fibers were overstretched or torn and how many muscle fibers were involved.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Omar’s growing outrage, especially when precious time is lost because of jammed phone lines, troubling silences and false assumptions, rankles Mahdi, the most overstretched of anyone at the call center.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overstretch
Cite this Entry
“Overstretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overstretch. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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