overheat

verb

over·​heat ˌō-vər-ˈhēt 

overheated; overheating; overheats

transitive verb

1

: to heat to excess

2

: to stimulate or agitate unduly

intransitive verb

: to become heated beyond a safe or desirable point

Examples of overheat in a Sentence

I overheated the food in the microwave.

Be careful not to overheat the engine.

Recent Examples on the Web

When the filter becomes clogged, air isn't able to circulate properly, which can cause the microwave to overheat. —Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2026

Officials said 37 reports of the air purifiers overheating have been received, including one report of a fire. —Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026

The mid-calf length is unusual but means they can be worn on and off the slopes comfortably, without overheating or over-stuffing hiking boots or sneakers. —Jonathan Thompson, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026

The secret to squeezing out those extra miles per second is in balancing motor power and battery output without overheating, while slashing aerodynamic drag and weight. —New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for overheat

• bittersweet
• celestite
• incomplete
• indiscreet
• marguerite
• obsolete
• overeat
• parakeet
• stillingfleet
• superheat
• amit
• athlete