overcorrected; overcorrecting

intransitive verb

: to make too much of a correction : to adjust too much in attempting to offset an error, miscalculation, or problem
If the soup tastes bland, don't overcorrect by adding too much salt.
The driver of the Acura then overcorrected to the right, and as he came near the shoulder, his car was struck by a Toyota sport utility vehicle …The Houston Chronicle
Your first instinct will be to overcorrect every time your drone is headed somewhere you don't want it to go.Scott Gilbertson
overcorrection noun
plural overcorrections
Meant to hold 150 passengers, the Christina took on 250. Listing from the start, an overcorrection in steering capsized the boat. Russell Fielding et al.

Examples of overcorrect in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Do not overcorrect what already works. Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026 Most leaders cut costs, panic, blame external factors and overcorrect. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 How to Remove Bath Bomb Stains Resist the urge to overcorrect with harsh products. Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 10 Apr. 2026 If opposing defenses see that on tape and overcorrect by playing more defensive-back-heavy looks in the weeks to come, Harvey could be a massive beneficiary. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overcorrect

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overcorrect was in 1827

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overcorrect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overcorrect. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Medical Definition

overcorrect

transitive verb
: to apply a correction to in excess of that required (as for satisfactory performance)
specifically : to correct (a lens) beyond the point of achromatism or so that there is aberration of a kind opposite to that of the uncorrected lens
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!