overreaction
overreaction — noun
1. a response that is much stronger, angrier, or more fearful than a situation real
a response that is much stronger, angrier, or more fearful than a situation really deserves
Greta's tears over the delayed train felt like an overreaction to everyone else.
an overreaction to + [event]
The coach called Hui's angry email an overreaction to one bad practice.
call something an overreaction
Sahil later admitted that selling all his shares after one rumor was an overreaction.
Parents said closing the park was an overreaction to the broken swing.
Calling the fire brigade for burnt toast was an overreaction, Beatriz joked.
- overresponse
more formal and often used in technical or policy discussion
- fuss
more informal and often about noisy complaining rather than serious action
- panic
focuses on fear, while overreaction can also involve anger or punishment
- underreaction
shows too little response to a real problem
- measured response
stays calm and keeps the action in proportion to the situation
文法句型
an overreaction to + [event/comment/problem]
be/seem like + an overreaction
用法筆記
Usually followed by 'to' when naming the thing that caused the response. It suggests the speaker thinks the emotion or action was unnecessary, not simply strong.
常見錯誤
overreaction — verb
1. to respond with more anger, fear, or action than a situation really needs
to respond with more anger, fear, or action than a situation really needs
Dario overreacted to the joke and left the restaurant before dessert.
overreact to + [comment]
Try not to overreact when the printer jams during a busy morning.
Nicholas overreacted to the budget cut by cancelling the whole art trip.
Fans overreacted online after the singer missed one note in rehearsal.
Selim tends to overreact to small delays when he has not slept.
- panic
fits only fear-based cases, not angry or punitive ones
- go too far
broader and can describe actions beyond emotional response
- blow things out of proportion
idiomatic phrase that stresses treating a small problem as a big one
- stay calm
emphasizes keeping control instead of escalating
- keep things in proportion
focuses on judging the situation at the right level
文法句型
overreact to + [comment/problem/change]
overreact by + -ing
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'to' plus the trigger. The verb criticizes the person's judgment, not just the size of the emotion.