overrun

UK: /ˌəʊvə^rˈrʌn/

US: /v. ˌoʊvɚˈrʌn; n. ˈoʊvɚˌrʌn/

US: (v. ō′vər run′; n. ō′vər run′)

Inflections of 'overrun' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

overruns

v 3rd person singular

overrunning

v pres p

overran

v past

overrun

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

o•ver•run /v. ˌoʊvɚˈrʌn; n. ˈoʊvɚˌrʌn/   v., -ran, -run, -run•ning, n. 
v. [~ + object]

1. to spread over or cover (an area or place) quickly and in great numbers:
   Weeds are overrunning the garden.
2. to attack and defeat completely and occupy the position of;
   overwhelm:
   The army overran our position.
3. to run past or go beyond:
   to overrun the finish line.
4. to exceed:
   to overrun the budget.
5. to overflow:
   The stream overran its banks.

n. [countable]

6. an act, instance, or amount of overrunning, esp. the process of exceeding the costs of production:
   cost overruns.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

o•ver•run  (v. ō′vər run′;n. ō′vər run′), v., -ran, -run, -run•ning, n. 
v.t. 

1. to rove over (a country, region, etc.);
   invade;
   ravage:
   a time when looting hordes had overrun the province.
2. to swarm over in great numbers, as animals, esp. vermin;
   infest:
   The house had been overrun by rats.
3. Botany to spread or grow rapidly over, as plants, esp. vines, weeds, etc.:
   a garden overrun with weeds.
4. to attack and defeat decisively, occupying and controlling the enemy's position;
   overwhelm.
5. to spread rapidly throughout, as a new idea or spirit:
   a rekindling of scholarship that had overrun Europe.
6. to run or go beyond, as a certain limit:
   The new jet overran the landing field.
7. to exceed, as a budget or estimate:
   to overrun one's allotted time.
8. to run over;
   overflow:
   During the flood season, the river overruns its banks for several miles.
9. [Print.]
   • Printing to print additional copies of (a book, pamphlet, etc.) in excess of the original or the usual order.
   • Printing to carry over (type or words) to another page.
10. [Naut.]
    • Naval Terms to sail past (an intended stopping or turning point) by accident.
    • Naval Terms (of a ship) to complete (a schedule of calls) more rapidly than anticipated.
11. to outrun;
    overtake in running.

v.i. 

12. to run over;
    overflow:
    a stream that always overruns at springtime.
13. to exceed the proper, desired, or normal quantity, limit, order, etc.:
    Do you want to overrun on this next issue?

n. 

14. an act or instance of overrunning.
15. an amount in excess;
    surplus:
    an overrun of 10,000 copies of a new book.
16. the exceeding of estimated costs in design, development, and production, esp. as estimated in a contract:
    a staggering overrun on the new fighter plane.
17. the amount exceeded:
    an overrun of $500,000 for each fighter plane.
18. a run on an item of manufacture beyond the quantity ordered by a customer and often offered at a discount.
19. Nutrition, Food the amount by which the volume of a food, as butter or ice cream, is increased above the original volume by the inclusion of air, water, or another substance:
    With only a 20 percent overrun, this is an excellent ice cream.

• Middle English overrennen, Old English oferyrnan. See over-, run bef. 900

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

overrun verb / ˌəʊvəˈrʌn/ ( -runs, -running, -ran, -run)

1. (transitive) to swarm or spread over rapidly
2. to run over (something); overflow
3. to extend or run beyond a limit
4. (intransitive) (of an engine) to run with a closed throttle at a speed dictated by that of the vehicle it drives, as on a decline
5. (transitive) to print (a book, journal, etc) in a greater quantity than ordered
6. (transitive) to transfer (set type and other matter) from one column, line, or page to another
7. (transitive) to run faster than

noun / ˈəʊvəˌrʌn/

1. the act or an instance of overrunning
2. the amount or extent of overrunning
3. the number of copies of a publication in excess of the quantity ordered