Illustration of overall
- overall 1b
over·all
ˌō-vər-ˈȯl 
1
: all over sense 1
the pattern used overall
2
: from one end to the other
600 feet long overall
3
a
: in view of all the circumstances or conditions
overall, the sale was a success
b
: as a whole : generally
doesn't do as well overall
overall and in most of its detail the film has remarkable power—
Time
Time
c
: with everyone or everything taken into account
was third overall in earnings
got 31 miles to the gallon overall
over·all
ˈō-vər-ˌȯl
1
a
b
usually overalls
: trousers of strong material usually with a bib and shoulder straps
2
chiefly British
: a loose-fitting protective smock worn over regular clothing
over·all
ˌō-vər-ˈȯl
ˈō-vər-ˌȯl
ˈō-vər-ˌȯl
1
: including everything
2
: viewed as a whole : general
Examples of overall in a Sentence
Adverb
He made a few mistakes but did well overall.
Overall, the project was successful.
Adjective
your overall score after two rounds
His mistake didn't change my overall impression of him.
Your overall health is sound.
She likes the overall quality of the product.
The scratch didn't affect the car's overall appearance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2025
Schools before the storm Before the storm, though a few schools excelled, the district was struggling overall.
—Aubri Juhasz, NPR, 25 Aug. 2025
Kate Linderman, Idaho Statesman, 14 Aug. 2025
Wednesday's launch was just the eighth overall for the network, and each mission lofts just eight to 10 spacecraft, apparently because each satellite is quite large.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Malana Vantyler, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2025
That's part of the plaza's overall $17.25 million cost, which is being paid for through a tax incremental financing district in the Park East area.
—Tom Daykin, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overall
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Adverb
On the Billboard 200, Gray has charted five entries overall, with three of them reaching the top 10 (Kid Crow in 2020, No. 5; Superache in 2022, No. 9 and Wishbone in 2025, No. 3).
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2025
Schools before the storm Before the storm, though a few schools excelled, the district was struggling overall.
—Aubri Juhasz, NPR, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
The Gem State was the 13th safest state overall in the United States, the study found.
—Kate Linderman, Idaho Statesman, 14 Aug. 2025
Wednesday's launch was just the eighth overall for the network, and each mission lofts just eight to 10 spacecraft, apparently because each satellite is quite large.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
However, this experimentation signals a future where contacts can monitor your overall health.
—Malana Vantyler, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2025
That's part of the plaza's overall $17.25 million cost, which is being paid for through a tax incremental financing district in the Park East area.
—Tom Daykin, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overall
Cite this Entry
“Overall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overall. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overall
1 of 2 adverb
over·all
ˌō-və-ˈrȯl
: as a whole : generally
we find your work satisfactory, overall
overall
2 of 2 adjectiveˌō-və-ˈrȯl,
ˈō-və-ˌrȯl
1
: including everything
overall expenses
2
: viewed as a whole : general
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