overstride

[ oh-ver-strahyd ]

verb (used with object)

, o·ver·strode, o·ver·strid·den, o·ver·strid·ing.

1. to surpass:

   to overstride one's competitors.

2. to stand or sit astride of; bestride:

   a great statue overstriding the entrance; to overstride a horse.

3. to tower over; dominate:

   He overstrides the committee with loud aggressiveness.

4. to stride or step over or across:

   At its narrowest point, one can easily overstride the stream.

5. to stride more rapidly than or beyond:

   a downward path where she easily overstrode her companion.

Word History and Origins

Origin of overstride¹

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200; over-, stride

Example Sentences

“That’s one of the problems I had — I would overstride on my front foot, and the ball would die out sometimes.”

From Washington Times

A natural runner, Mu needed only small adjustments — tiny corrections to her arm movements during the sprint to the finish and reminders not to overstride, especially as she grew to 5-foot-11.

From New York Times

It’s often linked to heel striking, but as both Cole and Esteban Protheroe point out, it’s perfectly possible to overstride and land on the forefoot.

From The Guardian

“There are degrees of overstride,” says Esteban Protheroe.

From The Guardian

“A slight overstride is better than a big one, just as a slight heel landing is better than a ‘toes in the air’ one with the knee joint locked out.”

From The Guardian