How to pronounce overstep
Say it like oh-ver-STEP. Overstep has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (STEP).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce overstep. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- oh
- ver
- STEP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Overstep pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ohGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- verKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- STEPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of overstep
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: oh-vuh-STEP.
What does overstep mean?
- To go too far beyond (a limit); especially, to cross boundaries or exceed norms or conventions.“That color scheme really oversteps the bounds of good taste.”
- To take a step in which the foot touches ground too far forward.
- To move with a gait such that the hind foot touches the ground forward of the point where the front foot touches the ground.
- A gait in which the hind foot touches ground in front of where the front foot touches the ground.
- A movement in which one oversteps.
- A decision or action that goes too far.
Where does overstep come from?
From Middle English *oversteppen, from Old English ofersteppan, from Proto-Germanic *uberstapjaną (“to step over; overstep”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with overstep
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of overstep.
Questions about saying overstep
How do you pronounce overstep?
Say oh-ver-STEP. The American pronunciation is /ˌoʊvɚˈstɛp/. In British English it is /ˌəʊvəˈstɛp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in overstep?
Overstep has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (STEP). Broken into parts: oh · ver · STEP.
Is overstep pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˌəʊvəˈstɛp/ (oh-vuh-STEP).