1.
overthinking; imagining too much; groundless worry
The act of worrying about or reading too much into something that turns out to be nothing. Used to reassure someone (or oneself) that their concerns are unfounded.
きっと思い過ごしだよ。
I'm sure you're just overthinking it.
思い過ごしかもしれないけど、彼の態度が気になる。
It might just be my imagination, but his attitude bothers me.
嫌われているのかと心配していたが、ただの思い過ごしだった。
I was worried that they hated me, but it was just my overthinking.
From 思う (to think) + 過ごす (to do excessively). Describes the common experience of worrying about something that turns out to be unfounded. Very useful in everyday conversation for reassuring others or dismissing one's own anxieties.
USAGE:
Most commonly used as a predicate: 思い過ごしだ / 思い過ごしだよ. Also appears with かもしれない when the speaker is unsure: 思い過ごしかもしれないけど... (It might just be my imagination, but...).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ただの思い過ごし — just overthinking
- 思い過ごしかもしれない — it might just be my imagination
- 思い過ごしだといいけど — I hope it's just my overthinking
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 気のせい — one's imagination; very similar, slightly more casual
- 考えすぎ — overthinking; more direct, focuses on excessive analysis
- 取り越し苦労 — needless worry; implies worrying about the future unnecessarily