overheat

verb

over·​heat ˌō-vər-ˈhēt How to pronounce overheat (audio)
overheated; overheating; overheats

transitive verb

1
: to heat to excess
2
: to stimulate or agitate unduly

intransitive verb

: to become heated beyond a safe or desirable point

Examples of overheat in a Sentence

I overheated the food in the microwave. Be careful not to overheat the engine.
Recent Examples on the Web With a waterproof exterior and removable fleece layer, this jacket boasts a three-in-one design that kids who overheat will love. Casey Clark, Parents, 5 Mar. 2024 For now, the Nasdaq 100 chart suggests the rally is overheated based on standard technical oscillators regardless of the daily, monthly, or weekly time frame. Moneyshow, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 This mulcher also has a clean air motor cooling system to prevent it from overheating. Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2024 The slippers have a slip-on design and are lined with temperature-regulating teddy fleece that’s not only uber soft, but also prevents your feet from overheating. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024 The developer of Snapchat is recalling the company’s Pixy drone due to a faulty battery that can overheat and catch fire. Michael Kan, PCMAG, 1 Feb. 2024 The top features eyelets in areas that are more prone to overheating to help with ventilation, as do the bottoms, located on the small of the lower back. Marisa Petrarca, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2024 This protects your phone battery from overcharging, breaking, or overheating. Kim Komando, Fox News, 19 Feb. 2024 Kushner also issues a word of caution about any portable blender: don’t overheat it. Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overheat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overheat was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near overheat

Cite this Entry

“Overheat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overheat. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!