overspent

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'overspent' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is the past tense and past participle form of the verb 'overspend', which means to spend more than one can afford or beyond one's means. Example: The family had overspent on their vacation and were now struggling to pay their bills.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But the most lethal missile of the night came from the man who asked whether Miliband would admit that the last Labour government had overspent.

The Guardian

The most lethal missile of the night came from the man who asked whether Miliband would admit that the last Labour government had overspent.

The Guardian

Excessive risk had built up in the system Sir Nicholas Macpherson His remarks emerged after Ed Miliband came under pressure on the leader's Question Time on BBC1 on Thursday, facing accusations that Labour government had overspent, a view strengthened by the now notorious letter left by the former Treasury chief secretary Liam Byrne to his successor in 2010 that there was "no money left".

The Guardian - Business

The Cancer Drugs Fund is overspent and effectively undermines the judgements made by Nice, because it will pay for drugs that are rejected by its expert panels on the grounds not just of cost but efficacy as well.

The Guardian

Similarly, the amount that nearby Colchester Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had overspent by had also rocketed from £2.4m to £21.2m over the same short period.

The Guardian

Mr Chidambaram has provided a bit more in his budget for all these causes, but they fall under the jurisdiction of state governments, most of which are overspent and overmanned.

The Economist

Mr Hori said he expected they might be prepared to pay back anyone who had overspent.

The Economist

Is this the start of a political comeback?The reason for his visit was that, on July 4th, the constitutional council invalidated his 2012 campaign accounts because he overspent (by 2%) the legal cap and made party use of public presidential trips.

The Economist

His aim, he said, was to present a budget that "lives within our means without raising taxes or relying on irresponsible borrowing .Illinois has overspent and borrowed recklessly for years, and is now in the biggest fiscal mess of any state in the country.

The Economist

"Poor" and "poverty" refer generally to a state in which one's lack of economic resources is a problem; whether that specifically means Pat Moynihan's 'underclass', or a grad student living on ramen noodles, or even a house-poor family who overspent on a McMansion and are now, despite a decent income, fearing foreclosure.

The Economist

Campaigning as a blood sport ReprintsThe mayor's party has also jumped on a recent ruling by the electoral body that Santiago Creel, Mr Fox's interior minister and himself a presidential hopeful, overspent during his losing campaign for mayor against Mr López Obrador in 2000.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing financial performance or budgetary issues, use "overspent" to clearly indicate that spending exceeded the allocated or available funds. It is particularly effective when conveying that a limit has been breached.

Common error

Avoid using "overspent" when the core issue is insufficient funding rather than excessive spending. "Overspent" implies mismanagement or excess, while "underfunded" suggests inadequate resources were available from the start.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "overspent" is as the past tense and past participle of the verb "overspend". It describes the action of spending more than allocated or affordable. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "overspent" is the past tense and past participle of "overspend", indicating that more funds were used than were available or allocated. Ludwig AI confirms that "overspent" is correct and usable in written English. It is most commonly found in news and media and formal business contexts, carrying a neutral tone. Alternatives include "exceeded budget" and "spent excessively", each with subtle differences in meaning. When using "overspent", ensure that the issue is actually exceeding a spending limit, not merely a case of underfunding. With many reliable source examples, "overspent" is certainly a common expression, suitable for diverse audiences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exceeded budget

Focuses specifically on surpassing a predetermined budgetary limit.

exceeded financial resources

Highlights the act of going beyond available financial means.

run over budget

Indicates a project or plan that has gone beyond its allocated budget.

spent excessively

Emphasizes the act of spending in a lavish or unrestrained manner.

splurged

Suggests indulging in extravagant spending, often on luxury items.

over-budget

Adjective describing the condition of exceeding budget

dissipated funds

Implies a wasteful and gradual depletion of financial resources.

outspent

General term for spending more than another entity or a benchmark.

over-extended financially

Suggests stretching one's financial capacity to an unsustainable degree.

lavished money on

Implies generous and often wasteful spending on something specific.

FAQs

How can I use "overspent" in a sentence?

You can use "overspent" to indicate that someone or something has spent more money than they had or should have. For example, "The department "overspent" its budget this quarter", or "He "overspent" on his credit card during the holidays."

What are some alternatives to "overspent"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "exceeded budget", "spent excessively", or "ran over budget".

Is it correct to say "overspent the budget" or "overspent on the budget"?

It is more common and grammatically sound to say "overspent the budget". While "overspent on the budget" isn't incorrect, it is less frequently used and can sound awkward.

What is the difference between "overspent" and "misspent"?

"Overspent" simply means spending more than intended or allocated. "Misspent", on the other hand, implies that the money was spent unwisely or inappropriately, not necessarily that too much was spent. They are not interchangeable; "misspent" focuses on the quality of the spending, while "overspent" focuses on the quantity.