overreaction
nounEtymology From over- + reaction.
1
A reaction that is excessive.
- She had every right to dump you, but cutting up all your clothes after she did so was an overreaction.
- This whole fear over swine flu was unfounded; it was clearly an overreaction.
2 more examples
- The threat of terrorism to the British lies in the overreaction to it of British governments. Each one in turn clicks up the ratchet of surveillance, intrusion and security. Each one diminishes liberty.2012 December 14, Simon Jenkins, “We mustn't overreact to North Korea boys' toys”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 2, page 3:
- In most cases, this overreaction to terrorism poses a far greater threat to our security than the terrorists themselves.2018, Yuval Noah Harari, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century: