overkill

¹over·kill

transitive verb \ˌō-vər-ˈkil\

Definition of OVERKILL

: to obliterate (a target) with more nuclear force than required

First Known Use of OVERKILL

1957

Rhymes with OVERKILL

back and fill, Brazzaville, Chapel Hill, chlorophyll, coffee mill, daffodil, dishabille, double bill, escadrille, espadrille, Evansville, fiberfill, fill the bill, fit to kill, foreign bill, general will, hammer mill, Hooverville, if you will, Jacksonville, Libreville, living will, Louisville, microphyll, minimill, overfill, overspill, pepper mill, poison pill, puppy mill, razorbill, rolling mill, rototill, San Juan Hill, sleeping pill, Smoky Hill, sugar pill, tormentil, verticil, water mill, water pill, windowsill, whip-poor-will, winter-kill, Yggdrasil

²over·kill

noun \ˈō-vər-ˌkil\

Definition of OVERKILL

1

: a destructive capacity greatly exceeding that required for a given target

2

: an excess of something (as a quantity or an action) beyond what is required or suitable for a particular purpose <publicity overkill> <an overkill in weaponry>

3

: killing in excess of what is intended or required

Examples of OVERKILL

1. Yes, we need a new car, but this huge truck seems like overkill.
2. <the song already borders on the maudlin—the addition of a syrupy string accompaniment would just be overkill>

First Known Use of OVERKILL

1958

Related to OVERKILL

Synonyms

bellyful, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow, excess, overmuch, overplus, oversupply, plethora, plus, redundancy, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus, surplusage

Antonyms

deficiency, deficit, insufficiency, undersupply

Related Words

abundance, bounty, plentitude, plenty, profusion, sufficiency; overproduction, overstock

Near Antonyms

dearth, lack, scarcity, want