overdraft
noun
over·draft
ˈō-vər-ˌdraft 
1
: an act of overdrawing at a bank : the state of being overdrawn
also
: the sum overdrawn
2
Examples of overdraft in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
No-fee overdraft protection No-fee Overdraft Coverage up to $50 for SoFi members with $1,000 or more in total monthly direct deposits.
—
Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
The 12 federal reservoirs storing water in the basin had started the 21st century nearly full, the report said, but a quarter-century of overdrafts have left them just 40% full as the Southwest experiences a historic drought.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 12 Sep. 2025
But the typical American’s overdraft bill (about $118 a year as of 2014, the last time it was thoroughly studied) is far less than the average annual credit-card interest payment (which clocks in at $1,657).
—Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
Overspending can lead to overdraft fees, required loans to compensate for the deficit, and possible ongoing financial hurdles.
—Mary Luquette, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overdraft
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
The 12 federal reservoirs storing water in the basin had started the 21st century nearly full, the report said, but a quarter-century of overdrafts have left them just 40% full as the Southwest experiences a historic drought.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 12 Sep. 2025
But the typical American’s overdraft bill (about $118 a year as of 2014, the last time it was thoroughly studied) is far less than the average annual credit-card interest payment (which clocks in at $1,657).
—Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
Overspending can lead to overdraft fees, required loans to compensate for the deficit, and possible ongoing financial hurdles.
—Mary Luquette, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overdraft
Cite this Entry
“Overdraft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdraft. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overdraft
noun
over·draft
ˈō-vər-ˌdraft
: an overdrawing of a bank account or the amount overdrawn
Legal Definition
overdraft
noun
over·draft
ˈō-vər-ˌdraft
1
: the act or result of drawing on a bank account for more than the balance
also
: the amount exceeding the balance in an overdraft
2
: a loan or credit extended on a current account especially to established or institutional customers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share