over·dose
ˈō-vər-ˌdōs 
1
: too great a dose (as of a therapeutic agent)
also
: a lethal or toxic amount (as of a drug)
2
: an excessive quantity or amount
an overdose of fun
over·dose
ˌō-vər-ˈdōs
overdosed; overdosing; overdoses
: to give an overdose or too many doses to
: to take or experience an overdose
—usually used with on
Examples of overdose in a Sentence
Noun
She died from a cocaine overdose.
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Saponara, Billboard, 15 Mar. 2026
Thanks to the relentless work of these programs, Los Angeles County has made substantial progress in reducing fatal overdoses.
—Grey Gardner, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Fearing the suspect could be overdosing, Cano had administered Narcan, a nasal spray that reverses the effects of opioids.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overdose
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Noun
Bailey Rae also dealt with tragedy in the midst of her upswing, as her husband Jason Rae passed away from an accidental overdose in 2008.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 15 Mar. 2026
Thanks to the relentless work of these programs, Los Angeles County has made substantial progress in reducing fatal overdoses.
—Grey Gardner, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
Speaking of which, the soundtrack also overdoses a bit on the calculated wackiness of vintage cuts by Bonzo Dog Band, the Monty Python-adjacent 1960s British novelty music act.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Fearing the suspect could be overdosing, Cano had administered Narcan, a nasal spray that reverses the effects of opioids.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overdose
Cite this Entry
“Overdose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdose. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overdose
2 of 2 verb
over·dose
ˌō-vər-ˈdōs
1
: to give an overdose or too many doses to
2
: to take or experience an overdose
overdosed on heroin
Medical Definition
overdose
1 of 2 noun
over·dose
ˈō-vər-ˌdōs
: too great a dose (as of a therapeutic agent)
an overdose of exposure to the sun—Morris Fishbein
Morris Fishbein
also
: a lethal or toxic amount (as of a drug)
overdose
2 of 2 verb
over·dose
ˌō-vər-ˈdōs
overdosed; overdosing
: to give an overdose or too many doses to
: to take or experience an overdose
—usually used with on
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