overextend

This verb carries a strong connotation of instability and risk. Whether applied to personal energy, financial resources, or military logistics, the core image is a string or a line being pulled so tight that it is on the verge of snapping. It suggests a failure of judgment or an overestimation of one's own capacity.

In a professional or financial context, it is often used to describe a state of precariousness. When a person overextends themselves, they are not merely busy, but are operating at a level that is unsustainable and likely to lead to burnout or failure. In a physical sense, it refers specifically to joint or muscle strain where a limb is pushed beyond its natural range of motion.