overspend

American

[oh-ver-spend] / ˌoʊ vərˈspɛnd /

verb (used without object)

overspent, overspending

to spend more than one can afford.

Receiving a small inheritance, she began to overspend alarmingly.

verb (used with object)

overspent, overspending

to spend in excess of.

He was overspending his yearly salary by several thousand dollars.
to spend beyond one's means (used reflexively).

When the bills arrived, he realized he had foolishly overspent himself.
to wear out; exhaust.

overspend British

verb

to spend in excess of (one's desires or what one can afford or is allocated)
(tr; usually passive) to wear out; exhaust

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

the amount by which someone or something is overspent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of overspend

First recorded in 1580–90; over- + spend

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“If overspending or unstable income is the root issue, the loan just restructures the pain.”

From MarketWatch

In their first major presentation since the layoffs, acting Chief Executive and Publisher Jeff D’Onofrio and Executive Editor Matt Murray held a staff meeting Wednesday in which they described years of overspending and declining productivity.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Anything short of root-and-branch reform risks trapping councils in a vicious cycle of overspending and worsening services for families," he says.

From BBC

Although a maximum 12-point penalty could have been imposed, the committee worked down based on Leicester's percentage overspend and settled on six in light of the club's "improving financial position" over the assessment period.

From BBC

Here are eight common categories of overspending, along with advice from planners on how to reset those costs without sacrificing quality of life.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023