overcorrected
Adjusted too far
Overcorrected is the past tense of overcorrect—to adjust or fix something so much that a new problem emerges in the opposite direction.
A driver who overcorrects a skid may spin the other way.
After years of being too strict, they overcorrected and became permissive.
The word often describes well-intentioned changes that go too far.
Instinctive and unconsidered
- overreactionDisproportionate emotional response
- backlashStrong negative reaction
- pendulumSuspended swinging weight
- whiplashNeck injury from jerking
swing · rebound · snap · overzealous · impulsive · excessive · extreme · overboard
Consumed by fixation
- rigidUnable to bend
- inflexibleUnable to bend
- overthoughtConsidered excessively, counterproductively
- overworkedLaboring beyond healthy limits
fussy · nitpicky · finicky · overpolished · overwrought · overdone · labored · belabored
Exceed necessary correction
- overadjustmentExcessive compensating change
- overshootGo beyond intended point
- overdoExceed reasonable limits
- rebalanceRestore equal distribution
counteraction · adjustment · excess · disproportionate · unbalanced · rectify · amend · redress
knee-jerk
Instinctive and unconsidered
- overreactionDisproportionate emotional response
- backlashStrong negative reaction
- pendulumSuspended swinging weight
whiplash · swing · rebound · snap · overzealous · impulsive · excessive · extreme · overboard · overkill
obsessive
Consumed by fixation
- rigidUnable to bend
- inflexibleUnable to bend
- overthoughtConsidered excessively, counterproductively
overworked · fussy · nitpicky · finicky · overpolished · overwrought · overdone · labored · belabored · overanalyzed
overcompensate
Exceed necessary correction
- overadjustmentExcessive compensating change
- overshootGo beyond intended point
- overdoExceed reasonable limits
rebalance · counteraction · adjustment · excess · disproportionate · unbalanced · rectify · amend · redress · oversteer
overcorrectedundercorrected
Inadequately adjusted for error
right-sized · fine-tuned · calibrated · balanced · moderated
overcorrectedunderreacted
Responded with insufficient intensity
uncorrected · left alone · unchanged · unaddressed · unadjusted
overcorrection, overcorrect, overcorrects, overcorrecting, overcorrections