Overreaction

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An unnecessarily strong emotional response to a situation that is disproportionate to the actual event
2. A reaction characterized by an overwhelming display of feelings that exceeds what the circumstances warrant
3. An exaggerated emotional reply to an incident that goes beyond a rational or measured response

Etymology: "Overreaction" is a transparent compound: the prefix "over-" (meaning excessive or beyond the proper measure) attached to "reaction." The prefix traces back through Old English "ofer" and Proto-Germanic "uberi" to the same ancient root that gave us "over" and "upper," so the sense of going past a limit has been part of the word's core since the earliest stages of the language. "Reaction" itself is a much older and more abstract term, built from "re-" (back, again) and "action," meaning a response to a stimulus. Joining the two gave the word its present sense: a response that goes beyond what the situation warranted. Because both parts are common, the compound needed no special coinage, and it simply describes an action that runs too far in the opposite direction.

Synonyms: exaggeration, overresponse, panic, hysteria, overemphasis

Antonyms: underreaction, calmness, composure, equanimity, restraint