overextend
Push beyond capacity
To overextend is to stretch beyond safe or sustainable limits.
The word applies to physical reach, financial commitments, or personal capacity: The company overextended itself with too many acquisitions.
Military forces overextend their supply lines; individuals overextend their credit.
The reflexive form—overextend oneself—is common: Don't overextend yourself trying to help everyone.
Exceed one's capacity
- hubrisRuinous excessive confidence
- overambitiousExcessively driven toward goals
- overzealousExcessively fervent or eager
- overconfidentExcessively sure of oneself
overestimate · overpromise · overshoot · grandiose · unrealistic · miscalculate · overcommit · reckless
Excessive stretching force
- fatigueWeariness from prolonged exertion
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
- injuryPhysical or psychological harm
- overexertionHarmful excess of effort
sprain · pull · tear · hyperextension · muscle · overstrain · burnout · collapse
Side of body
- territoryLand under jurisdiction
- advanceMove or progress forward
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
- vulnerableOpen to attack
exposed · salient · logistics · reinforcements · campaign · conquest · occupation · garrison
overreach
Exceed one's capacity
- hubrisRuinous excessive confidence
- overambitiousExcessively driven toward goals
- overzealousExcessively fervent or eager
overconfident · overestimate · overpromise · overshoot · grandiose · unrealistic · miscalculate · overcommit · reckless · imprudent
strain
Excessive stretching force
- fatigueWeariness from prolonged exertion
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
- injuryPhysical or psychological harm
overexertion · sprain · pull · tear · hyperextension · muscle · overstrain · burnout · collapse · overwork
flank
Side of body
vulnerable · exposed · salient · logistics · reinforcements · campaign · conquest · occupation · garrison · overreach
deplete
Greatly reduce supply
- exhaustUse up entirely
- overtaxBurden beyond capacity
- overburdenLoad beyond capacity
overload · scarce · shortage · overwhelm · drain · overallocate · capacity · bandwidth · ration · unsustainable
bankrupt
Unable to repay debts
overleveraged · credit · borrowing · overdrawn · liabilities · mortgage · loans · indebted · default · creditors
- going too faroverdo, overstepping, crossing the line, overstep, cross the line
- excessexcess, too much, excessive, excessiveness, overabundance
- going all outgo all out, max out, go hard, full throttle, all in
overextendhold back
Prevent forward movement
conserve · restrain · undercommit · pace oneself · play it safe
overextendretract
Withdraw something said
overextendconsolidate
Unite separate things
retrench · pull back · fortify · dig in · hold the line