overzealous

adjective

over·​zeal·​ous ˌō-vər-ˈze-ləs 

: too zealous : having or showing too much zeal : excessively eager, enthusiastic, or fervent

overzealous parents

overzealous workers

… another version of the overzealous monitoring that has produced kids who leave for college without ever having crossed the street by themselves.

—Peggy Orenstein

The village saw the orders as unwarranted interference from an overzealous state bureaucracy and promptly appealed.

—Joe Treen and S. Avery Brown

overzealously adverb

… has been frequently accused by its critics of acting recklessly, overzealously, and even, at times, illegally.

—Steve Lustgarden

overzealousness noun

Jewell was annoyed that press descriptions of him always emphasized his "overzealousness"; he considers himself a man of details.

—Marie Brenner

Examples of overzealous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But some overzealous fans have read a bit too far into the singer’s every move. —Luke Chinman, Peoplemag, 6 June 2024

There are far more plausible explanations for the former president’s conviction, from his actual guilt under the law to overzealous prosecution to unfair judicial rulings to a poor defense to the jurors simply getting things wrong. —The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 2 June 2024

But overzealous political prosecution is more likely, and potentially more damaging, in emerging democracies where courts and other public institutions may be insufficiently independent from politics. —James D. Long, The Conversation, 30 May 2024

The pitcher was also supported with some great defense as Coyle caught a line drive at shortstop and then fired the ball to first to get an overzealous Alayna Enoff out for a double play. —Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1628, in the meaning defined above