overspend

USAGE SUMMARY

"overspend" is a correct and commonly used word in written English.
You can use it to describe when someone spends more money than they intended or can reasonably afford. For example: "He got carried away at the store and ended up overspending his budget."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

For all their moaning about Chinooks or body armour, they make the decisions on where to spend (and overspend) the money, sorting it out between themselves before going to elected ministers.

The Guardian - Opinion

The MoD's own Gray review spoke of "toxic incentives" to overspend on weapons systems.

The Guardian - Opinion

Monitor found that overspend on agency staff arose from a need to "cover vacancies and unplanned demand".

The Guardian

The leaked proposals say the DWP is at high risk of continuing to overspend on sickness and disability benefits in future years because the high-profile programme of welfare reform introduced by Duncan Smith in 2010 "has not realised its goals" of saving money.

The Guardian

The local authority has no choice but to accept that this year the school will overspend.

The Guardian

More than half of the remaining £200m will be in reduced "contingency", cutting by £124m the financial buffer for overspend or things going wrong – although presumably a true contingency would render the spending necessary again.

The Guardian

No one had heard about Labour's calls for a Scottish government inquiry into the recently revealed overspend on the new Victoria and Albert design museum, one of waterfront's flagship projects.

The Guardian

Thursday night's result was a vindication for Cameron's much-criticised decision to run a largely negative campaign, stressing the risks to Britain's still-fragile economic recovery of a Labour government that would overspend and drive away investors through taxes aimed at the wealthy and their tax-avoiding practices.

The Guardian

"The United States has the best recovery that money can buy," said Kenneth Rogoff, the IMF's chief economist.Who is financing America's overspend?

The Economist

For that would make a nonsense of its secession.Finally Sir Nicholas warned of a likelihood that the new Scottish administration, overburdened by high expectations, would overspend, putting further pressure on the union.

The Economist

With elections out of the way, the full size of the regional overspend should now become apparent.The most dramatic event in yesterday's elections was the collapse in the Socialist vote.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Review your bank and credit card statements regularly to catch any instances where you might "overspend".

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "overspend", which means spending more than intended, with "underspend", which means spending less than planned or budgeted.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "overspend" is as a verb, indicating the action of spending more money than one has or should. As Ludwig AI explains, it describes exceeding a financial limit or budget. It can also function as a noun, referring to the amount by which spending exceeded the budget.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Formal & Business

17%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Science

3%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "overspend" is a common and grammatically sound word, as validated by Ludwig AI. It functions primarily as a verb to describe spending beyond a set budget, and can also act as a noun referring to the amount of excess spending. You can prevent "overspending" by being vigilant of your budget. Its usage spans various contexts but is most prevalent in news and media. Related phrases include "exceed one's budget" and "go over budget". Remember not to confuse "overspend" with its antonym, "underspend".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Exceed one's budget

Focuses on surpassing a pre-defined financial limit.

Go over budget

Similar to "exceed one's budget" but more informal.

Run over budget

Suggests an uncontrolled exceeding of the budget.

Over budget

A state of having spent beyond the allocated funds.

Expend excessively

Highlights the act of spending in a wasteful manner.

Splurge

Implies indulging in luxury spending.

Be extravagant

Describes a lavish style of spending.

Waste money

Indicates inefficient spending practices.

Be profligate

Refers to reckless and wasteful spending.

Outspend

To spend more than another person or entity.

FAQs

How can I avoid "overspending"?

To avoid "overspending", create a detailed budget, track your expenses, and use cash or prepaid cards instead of credit cards. Consider setting spending limits and avoiding impulse purchases.

What are some synonyms for "overspend"?

Synonyms for "overspend" include "exceed one's budget", "go over budget", or "expend excessively", depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to use "overspend" as a noun?

Yes, "overspend" can function as a noun, referring to the amount by which someone or something has overspent. For example, "The project resulted in a significant overspend".

What's the difference between "overspend" and "spendthrift"?

"Overspend" is a verb meaning to spend more than intended or available, while "spendthrift" is a noun referring to a person who spends money extravagantly and wastefully.