Meaning & use
overreacted
Last updated
“overreacted” is a form of “overreact”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
verbintransitive
reacted to something with more emotion or action than was necessary
Grammar: No object; often followed by 'to': 'She overreacted to the news.'
Patterns
- overreact to something
- overreact to someone
He overreacted to a small mistake and shouted at everyone.
I think you overreacted to her comment; she didn't mean any harm.
Word forms
| base form | overreact |
|---|---|
| third-person singular | overreacts |
| past tense | overreacted |
| past participle | overreacted |
| -ing form | overreacting |
Common combinations
- overreact to something
- Try not to overreact to criticism.
- tend to overreact
- He tends to overreact when he is tired.
- overreact completely
- The media overreacted completely to the rumor.
- without overreacting
- She handled the situation without overreacting.
Synonyms and how they differ
- exaggerate
- Exaggerate means to make something seem larger or more important; overreact focuses on the emotional response.
- panic
- Panic is a strong feeling of fear; overreact can involve anger, fear, or other emotions.
Opposites
Word family
- overreaction noun
- An excessive response to something.
- overreactive adjective
- Reacting too strongly.
Commonly confused: overreacted or over act?
overreacted vs over act
Not a standard phrase; the verb is one word: 'overreact'.
Practice
She ______ to the email and sent an angry reply without thinking.
Choose one answer.
The past tense 'overreacted' matches the past action 'sent'. 'Overreacts' is present, 'overreacting' needs a helping verb, and 'overreact' is the base form used with I/you/we/they.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “overreacted”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.