overrun

/ˌəʊ.vəˈɹʌn/

//ˌəʊ.vəˈɹʌn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"overrun" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“overrun” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #18,149. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#18,149
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively.

Corpus desk

Index EN-overrun · overrun · English

overrun · rank #18,149 · 8 variants · 5 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #18,149
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 5 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH outsourcing

Nearest frequency peer: outsourcing (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “overrun”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “overrun” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

overrun vs Overton
57% similar
overrun vs overturn
75% similar
overrun vs overdue
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for overrun
PropertyValue
Headwordoverrun
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌəʊ.vəˈɹʌn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#18,149
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “overrun”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).overrunlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “outsourcing” (#18,148), “parcels” (#18,150), “pasture” (#18,151). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “overrun” is #18,149. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around overrun (IPA /ˌəʊ.vəˈɹʌn/), averb. Corpus frequency is #18,149 among 1,431 “O” headwords. Wiktionary lists 8 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for overrun, with forms such as "oevrrun", "overrnu", and "overrunn". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "Overton", "overturn", "overdue", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From over- + run. The correct English form is overrun, spelled O-V-E-R-R-U-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively.
  2. 2
    To infest, swarm over, flow over.
  3. 3
    To run past; to run beyond.
  4. 4
    To run past; to run beyond.
  5. 5
    To continue for too long.
  6. 6
    To carry (some type, a line or column, etc.) backward or forward into an adjacent line or page.
  7. 7
    To go beyond; to extend in part beyond.
  8. 8
    To abuse or oppress, as if by treading upon.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how overrun appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The vine overran its trellis; the field is overrun with weeds.
  2. those barbarous nations that over-ran the world

Etymology

From over- + run.

This word in other languages

überrennen(Deutsch)infestar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • oevrrun
  • overrnu
  • overrunn
  • overun
  • overurn
  • ovrerun
  • ovverrun
  • voerrun

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of overrun - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

oevrrun2overrnu2overrunn1overun1overurn2ovrerun2ovverrun1voerrun2
Edit distance from "overrun"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "overrun"?
"overrun" is spelled O-V-E-R-R-U-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌəʊ.vəˈɹʌn/.
What does "overrun" mean?
As a verb, "overrun" means: To defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively.
What words are commonly confused with "overrun"?
"overrun" is commonly confused with "Overton", "overturn", "overdue". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "overrun"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "overrun" is /ˌəʊ.vəˈɹʌn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "overrun"?
From over- + run. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "overrun", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

parcels#18,150pasture#18,151payload#18,153Neptune#18,140

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

payout8 variantsPelosi8 variantsPersia8 variantsNERDS8 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list