overreact
verb
over·re·act
ˌō-vər-rē-ˈakt 
overreacted; overreacting
: to react to something too strongly : to respond to something with too strong an emotion or with unnecessary or excessive action
I was furious and yelled at him. He told me I was overreacting and to "chillax."—
Ben Stein
Ben SteinThe world isn't coming to an end. You shouldn't overreact to the negative news.—Adam Bryant
Adam BryantSome of his animals had become apprehensive and twitchy, overreacting to sound or touch …—Mark Caldwell
Mark CaldwellBut the military police overreacted, using tear gas, rubber bullets and excessive force in front of news cameras that spread the images countrywide.—Grant Wahl
Grant Wahl… the poisonous surfeit of hormones produced by the overreacting immune system.—Shannon Brownlee
Shannon BrownleeSometimes companies in a little bit of trouble are the best investments because the market has overreacted.—Orson C. Clay
Orson C. Clay
overreaction
noun
plural overreactions
… he had said almost angrily that he couldn't tell her anything without eliciting a huge overreaction.
—Ann Beattie
Ann Beattie
This response is an overreaction by your immune system to an otherwise harmless substance, such as pollen or pet dander.
—Medical Clinic Health Letter
Medical Clinic Health Letter
Examples of overreact in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
These cells play a central role in our immune system, reducing inflammation and inhibiting other cells that can overreact in the face of some triggers, causing a runaway immune response.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 4 Apr. 2025
According to the Cleveland Clinic, although amniotic fluid entering the mother's blood is normal during childbirth, the rare response involves the maternal immune system overreacting to this presence.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
The United States must cut through the hype before overreacting.
—Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
It's linked to my immune system, which overreacts to environmental triggers.
—Edward Taguba, Health, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overreact
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Michael Franco, New Atlas, 4 Apr. 2025
According to the Cleveland Clinic, although amniotic fluid entering the mother's blood is normal during childbirth, the rare response involves the maternal immune system overreacting to this presence.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
The United States must cut through the hype before overreacting.
—Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
It's linked to my immune system, which overreacts to environmental triggers.
—Edward Taguba, Health, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overreact
Cite this Entry
“Overreact.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overreact. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
overreact
intransitive verb
over·re·act
ˌō-və(r)-rē-ˈakt
: to react excessively or too strongly
the body's immune system overreacts to the endotoxin—Tina Adler
Tina AdlerLove words? Need even more definitions?
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