overcompensate

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.

This sounds obvious, she says, but many people “neglect to pause” and try to overcompensate, which causes them to talk in circles.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 16, 2026

“But we have to be on the same page and trust that the guy next to us is going to do his job, and we don’t have to overcompensate for anything.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 29, 2025

The elephantine grand piano can easily bully its smaller partners or timidly overcompensate.

From New York Times • May 6, 2023

He almost always makes a bad move and then tries to overcompensate.

From Salon • Aug. 11, 2022

I guess it’s because everything’s so strict the rest of the time, they feel like they’ve got to overcompensate or something.

From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan