overpay

verb

over·​pay ˌō-vər-ˈpā 

overpaid ˌō-vər-ˈpād  ; overpaying

transitive + intransitive

: to pay too much to someone or for something

… the debate over whether organic foods are a smart choice for healthier living or a marketing tool that gulls people into overpaying.

—Kenneth Chang

It took my husband and me an hour with a representative to figure out we were overpaying for insurance and unlimited data plans.

—Tanisha A. Sykes

Be careful not to overpay state taxes.

—Carl T. Hall

We are not overpaying people; we are paying people what the market demands.

—Renee Glover

overpaid adjective

… fuels the negative stereotype of the overpaid underworked bureaucrat.

—Joann S. Lublin

Examples of overpay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Don’t overpay — unless one of the four primary pass catchers ahead of him is injured, TeSlaa’s upside is limited to a rookie season similar to Chase Claypool’s, who finished as WR37. —Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025

The lesson from Kraft Heinz isn’t simply that Buffett overpaid for brands. —Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

The Dodgers are loaded with bullpen talent, so losing the righty in free agency wouldn't kill them, especially if there's a team in the league that's going to be willing to overpay for Kopech. —Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025

Want to overpay for a smoothie in the comforts of your own city? —Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 2 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overpay

• aaa
• adonais
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway