Pronunciation: /oʊvərˈrʌn/

Definitions of overrun

noun an instance of overwhelming, spreading, or occupying in a rapid or uncontrollable manner

Example Sentences

A1 The town was in chaos after the overrun of the festival.

A2 The garden was a mess due to the overrun of weeds.

B1 The company faced financial difficulties after the overrun of expenses.

B2 The military base was at risk of being overrun by enemy forces.

C1 The city's infrastructure struggled to cope with the overrun of tourists during peak season.

C2 The hospital was at risk of being overrun with patients during the pandemic.

verb to spread over or occupy in a rapid or uncontrollable manner

Example Sentences

A1 The ants overran the picnic blanket.

A2 The weeds have overrun the garden.

B1 The virus quickly overran the population.

B2 The protesters tried to overrun the government building.

C1 The enemy forces were able to overrun the city.

C2 The company's expenses have overrun the projected budget.

Examples of overrun in a Sentence

formal The city was overrun by a horde of invading soldiers.

informal The party was so crowded, it felt like we were overrun with people.

slang The mall was totally overrun with teenagers on Friday night.

figurative Her emotions were so intense, they seemed to overrun her rational thoughts.

Grammatical Forms of overrun

past tense

overran

plural

overruns

comparative

more overrun

superlative

most overrun

present tense

overruns

future tense

will overrun

perfect tense

has overrun

continuous tense

is overrunning

singular

overrun

positive degree

overrun

infinitive

to overrun

gerund

overrunning

participle

overrun

Origin and Evolution of overrun

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'overrun' originated from Middle English, combining 'over' and 'run'.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe something being flooded or overwhelmed, the word 'overrun' has evolved to also mean being invaded or taken over by force.