To overthink means to think about something too much or in too complicated a way, usually making a problem worse instead of better. When you overthink a decision, you analyze every tiny detail, imagine every possible outcome, and second-guess yourself until what should be simple becomes impossibly hard.

Imagine choosing between chocolate and vanilla ice cream. If you spend thirty seconds deciding, that's normal thinking. But if you spend twenty minutes worrying about which flavor you'll regret, whether your friends will judge your choice, and what it says about you as a person, you're overthinking it.

Students often overthink test questions, reading hidden meanings into straightforward problems. Someone writing a birthday card might overthink every word, erasing and rewriting until the simple message “Happy Birthday!” feels impossible to write. Athletes can overthink their technique so much that their natural ability disappears.

The irony of overthinking is that more thinking doesn't lead to better decisions. It often leads to anxiety, confusion, and feeling stuck. Analysis paralysis is a phrase people use when overthinking stops you from doing anything at all.