1
as in invading
to enter for conquest or plunder
waves of barbarians overran the Roman Empire during its long decline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in exceeding
to go beyond the limit of
he must not overrun his authority as governor
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in infesting
to spread or swarm over in a troublesome manner
ants are overrunning the garden
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overrunning
His issues overrunning plays feel like ages ago.
—
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Russian forces seized the nuclear plant and its surrounding area in the early days of Moscow’s full-scale invasion, overrunning the plant in February 2022 and holding staff hostage.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
But using smaller rocks will not secure river banks from overrunning, said attorney Devon Lehman McCune during a hearing earlier this month in downtown federal court.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 21 Nov. 2025
In its siege of El Fasher, the RSF blocked aid and trade and intercepted all who tried to flee, overrunning a nearby camp for displaced people in April and killing hundreds, including nine nurses.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2025
Yet, there’s a way to do it right to show appreciation for the time and effort in hosting a tailgate—tents, food, drinks, and all—while not overrunning the host’s wishes.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Russian forces seized the nuclear plant and its surrounding area in the early days of Moscow’s full-scale invasion, overrunning the plant in February 2022 and holding staff hostage.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
But using smaller rocks will not secure river banks from overrunning, said attorney Devon Lehman McCune during a hearing earlier this month in downtown federal court.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 21 Nov. 2025
In its siege of El Fasher, the RSF blocked aid and trade and intercepted all who tried to flee, overrunning a nearby camp for displaced people in April and killing hundreds, including nine nurses.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2025
Yet, there’s a way to do it right to show appreciation for the time and effort in hosting a tailgate—tents, food, drinks, and all—while not overrunning the host’s wishes.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overrunning
Verb
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The thymus is responsible for producing the body’s T cells, which help to target and destroy invading pathogens.—
Taylor Mitchell Brown,
Scientific American,
14 Feb. 2026
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The Pentagon worries that an expanding Chinese arsenal could be a prelude to invading Taiwan or an attempt to beat America's missile defenses, Panda said.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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States that automatically send every report to police are far exceeding federal requirements, experts said.—
Shoshana Walter,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Shares of networking equipment company Cisco have rallied about 18% since reporting its latest quarter in mid-November, greatly exceeding the S & P 500 gain of about 2% over the same time period.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The moths infesting a pantry are not the same as moths hiding in your closet.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
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Quagga mussels and golden mussels, fingernail-sized invaders infesting California waterways, clog the water pumps and pipes responsible for distributing water to millions of people and vast stretches of farmland.—
Pam Marrone,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has stressed that the agency is not invading or raiding classrooms.—
Arthur Jones II,
ABC News,
5 Feb. 2026
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But is raiding your retirement for a home purchase a financially sound idea?—
Becca Stanek,
TheWeek,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The 43-point defeat was the worst in program history, surpassing a 31-point loss to Texas in 1984.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
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The country’s trade hit a record high last year, surpassing 3 trillion Malaysian ringgit ($780 billion).—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Even cursory nods to the pandemic as the root cause of neighbors turning against neighbors aren’t explored so much as they’re acknowledged, as if viewers are somehow unaware of the polarization plaguing America.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
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The House passed a bipartisan housing bill that would enact new policies to boost housing supply and ease the affordability crisis plaguing the nation.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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To save energy and prevent overheating, there’s a handy power button on top to easily turn the system on and off without crawling beneath your desk to access the wall outlet.—
Kelsey Borovinsky,
Architectural Digest,
9 Feb. 2026
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Our March trip coincided with the birthing season, and as a result the place was crawling with baby animals.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overrunning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrunning. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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