overshoot

verb

over·​shoot ˌō-vər-ˈshüt 

overshot ˌō-vər-ˈshät  ; overshooting

transitive verb

1

: to pass swiftly beyond

2

: to shoot or pass over or beyond so as to miss

overshoot

ˈō-vər-ˌshüt 

noun

Synonyms of overshoot

• exceed
• surpass

Examples of overshoot in a Sentence

The plane overshot the runway.

Sometimes we overshoot our time limits.

Recent Examples on the Web

Wilson overshot an open man on the ensuing first-down play, then found tight end Charlie Williams, and the big guy chugged to the Red Raiders’ 22. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2026

In Flexera’s 2025 State of the Cloud Report, 84% of enterprise technology leaders named managing cloud spend as their biggest cloud challenge, and companies overshoot their cloud budgets by 17% on average. — Kevin Henneman, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

That didn't prevent sellers from way overshooting to the downside. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026

The jet, traveling from San Juan, Puerto Rico, overshot the runway, killing five people and injuring another five. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overshoot

• absolute
• arrowroot
• attribute
• bitterroot
• constitute
• convolute
• destitute
• disrepute
• dissolute
• execute
• institute
• involute

Kids Definition

overshoot

verb

over·​shoot ˌō-vər-ˈshüt 

overshot -ˈshät  ; overshooting

1

: to miss by going beyond

the plane overshot the runway

2

: to shoot over or beyond

overshot the target

Medical Definition

overshoot

noun

over·​shoot ˈō-vər-ˌshüt 

: a rapid change in electrical potential and reversal of polarity that occurs during an action potential when a cell or tissue is stimulated