1
as in to invade
to enter for conquest or plunder
waves of barbarians overran the Roman Empire during its long decline
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2
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overrun
Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
There are lots of vines, shrubs, and herbs that grow quickly, but many are invasive or can overrun a garden completely.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 4 Apr. 2026
Michael Cox, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Get the normally overrun streets of Venice all to yourself by visiting in the spring or fall.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overrun
Verb
Despite intelligence that Saigon would be overrun by the North Vietnamese Army in a matter of days, the American Ambassador, Graham Martin, refused to prepare for an evacuation.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
There are lots of vines, shrubs, and herbs that grow quickly, but many are invasive or can overrun a garden completely.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Amorim’s side were completely overrun, and lucky to only lose 2-0.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Get the normally overrun streets of Venice all to yourself by visiting in the spring or fall.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overrun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overrun
Verb
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The drawdowns have left the US underprepared for potential conflict with Russia or China; in particular, replacing stockpiles of air-defense missiles — critical to supporting Taiwan should China invade — could take six years, The Wall Street Journal reported.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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But the tale soon takes on metafictional twists and turns as real-life Russian tanks and soldiers invade the country.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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All of his last three efforts on Friday exceeded 49 feet.—
Steve Brand,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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With most municipalities at or exceeding flood levels, here is where things stood as of week’s end and what was being affected by the high water.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The tennis elbows that forced him to miss the first few months of the 2025 season still require maintenance, and he’s been plagued by various lower-body injuries throughout his Yankees career.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Pablo Escobar's reign of terror didn't end with his death and continues today in the form of a horde of hippos plaguing the Colombian countryside.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Portions of the trail were overgrown with castor bean and other invasives, but some park workers or kind volunteers are doing their best to keep it clear enough to pass.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Pair with overgrown ivy, a pot of tea, and hour upon hour of confessional conversation.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Miami Dolphins cleaned house this offseason, then raided the Packers’ to figure out their new direction.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
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Douglas Hiatt, a longtime Seattle marijuana defense attorney, recalled the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and ’90s, when police regularly raided grow operations designed to support patients.—
Gene Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This expansion comes amid a record 12 million visitors across California’s nine national parks in 2025, surpassing previous attendance records.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Perez now sits 10 homers shy of surpassing Hall of Famer George Brett for the franchise record.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Aphids and leaf miners are the most common garden pests to infest spinach.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
29 Apr. 2026
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Among those lost were four maples and about 20 ash trees infested with emerald ash borers, said David Dammon, vice president of MVCC’s Administrative Services.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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When Allende watched the show, she was struck by the landscapes of the country — the vast desert, verdant forests and farmland, snowcapped peaks — its authenticity and flavor.—
Laura Zornosa,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
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On the grounds of an old hacienda, find a regional food buffet, a refreshing cenote, a thrilling zip-line course in the jungle, and trails for hiking and biking around the verdant estate.—
Regina Zumarraga,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overrun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrun. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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