overthink

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From Middle English *overthenken, *overthenchen (compare Middle English overthinken (“to grieve; have regrets; be sorry; be anxious”)), from Old English oferþenċan (“to think over; consider”), equivalent to over- +‎ think.

overthink (third-person singular simple present overthinks, present participle overthinking, simple past and past participle overthought)

1. (archaic) To think about; think over

   Synonyms: bethink, mull, quander; see also Thesaurus:ponder

   • 1695, J.D. Albany, The Banishment of poverty:

     But when I dred that wou'd not work,
     I overthought me of a Wile
     How I might at my leisure lurk,
     My graceless Guardain to beguile.

From over- +‎ think.

overthink (third-person singular simple present overthinks, present participle overthinking, simple past and past participle overthought)

1. To think or analyze too much.

   Antonym: underthink

   Don't overthink the problem. It's not that difficult.

2. (rare) To think too highly (of); overestimate

   Synonyms: overapproximate, overstate; see also Thesaurus:overestimate

   Antonyms: understate; see also Thesaurus:underestimate

   • 1859, Henry Ward Beecher, Sermons, page 25:

     So to think of self as not to overthink — to think of yourself with sober, moral judgment.

• think over