# overheat

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˌoʊvɚˈhit/ · frequency rank #41,795

## Definitions
1. To heat excessively.
2. To become excessively hot.
3. To grow too quickly in an uncontrolled way.

## Etymology
From Middle English overheten. Cognate with German überheizen, überhitzen (“to overheat”), Swedish överhetta (“to overheat”). By surface analysis, over- + heat.

## Easily confused with
- **overseas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/overheat-vs-overseas)
- **overreact** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/overheat-vs-overreact)
- **overheated** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/overheat-vs-overheated)
- **overhead** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/overhead-vs-overheat)
- **overcoat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/overcoat-vs-overheat)
- **overhear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/overhear-vs-overheat)
- **overheard** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/overheard-vs-overheat)

## Common misspellings (11)
`oevrheat`, `ovehreat`, `overehat`, `overhaet`, `overheatt`, `overheta`, `overhheat`, `overrheat`, `ovreheat`, `ovverheat`, `voerheat`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/overheat