Definition

1. Verb:

   • To spread over or occupy in large numbers: To move or extend over an area in great quantity, often excessively or undesirably.
   • To exceed a limit, boundary, or expected amount: To go beyond a set point, such as a time, cost, or physical boundary.
   • To invade and defeat: To attack and occupy a place by force of numbers.
   • To flow over the top or brim: Of a liquid, to overflow.

2. Noun:

   • An instance of exceeding a limit or estimate: The amount by which something exceeds its planned limit, especially in manufacturing or time.
   • A rapid and overwhelming spread: The act of spreading over an area in large, often uncontrolled numbers.

Examples

• Verb:

  • Weeds overran the abandoned garden. (Weeds spread uncontrollably through the garden.)
  • The meeting overran by thirty minutes. (The meeting exceeded its scheduled time.)
  • The enemy forces overran the defensive positions. (Enemy forces invaded and defeated the defenses.)
  • The river overran its banks during the flood. (The river flowed over its banks.)

• Noun:

  • The budget had a significant cost overrun. (The project's costs were much higher than planned.)
  • There was an overrun of 500 copies of the magazine. (500 more copies were printed than originally ordered.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be overrun with": To be filled or overwhelmed by something (often negative) in large numbers.
  • The old house was overrun with mice. (The house was full of mice.)
• "overrun one's welcome": To stay somewhere as a guest longer than is polite or desired.
  • I think we've overrun our welcome; we should leave soon.

Variants and Related Words

• Overran: The simple past tense of the verb 'overrun'.
  • The project timeline overran by several months.
• Overrunning: The present participle/gerund form.
  • The overrunning of the budget caused major problems.

Synonyms

• Verb: Infest, swarm, invade, exceed, surpass, overflow, overwhelm.
• Noun: Excess, surplus, overflow.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: 'Overrun' itself is not typically used in common phrasal verb constructions. Its meanings are contained within the single word.)

Related Idioms

• "Run over": While a separate phrasal verb, it shares the concept of exceeding a limit (e.g., time). "Run over" is more common for time, while "overrun" is used for time, budgets, and physical occupation.
  • The presentation ran over, so we started lunch late.

Noun

1. too much production or more than expected

Verb

1. run beyond or past
   • The plane overran the runway
2. seize the position of and defeat
   • the Crusaders overran much of the Holy Land
3. flow or run over (a limit or brim)
4. occupy in large numbers or live on a host
   • the Kudzu plant infests much of the South and is spreading to the North
5. invade in great numbers
   • the roaches infested our kitchen