overweight

1 of 3

noun

over·​weight ˈō-vər-ˌwāt 

sense 2 is usually

ˌō-vər-ˈwāt 

1

: weight over and above what is required or allowed

2

: excessive or burdensome weight

overweight

2 of 3

verb

over·​weight ˌō-vər-ˈwāt 

overweighted; overweighting; overweights

transitive verb

1

: to give too much weight or consideration to

2

: to weight excessively

overweight

3 of 3

adjective

over·​weight ˌō-vər-ˈwāt 

: exceeding expected, normal, or proper weight

especially : exceeding the bodily weight normal for one's age, height, and build

Synonyms of overweight

Adjective

• plump
• fat
• obese
• round

Examples of overweight in a Sentence

Adjective

He looked to be at least 20 pounds overweight.

an overweight person who had difficulty running even a short distance

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Patients seeking treatment for weight loss should consult a physician trained in management of overweight or obesity. —Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2026

When engagement and profits overweights safety, AI companies cannot be trusted to police themselves. —Hansa Bhargava, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Verb

The investment bank upgraded MGM to overweight from neutral on Wednesday, raising its 12-month price target on the casino operator to $46 from $41, implying 10% upside from the last close. —Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 28 May 2026

Teams overweight familiar opportunities. —Adam Feiner, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

Adjective

Barclays analyst Tim Long reiterated an overweight rating but raised his price target to $550, implying additional upside of 31% from where Dell closed Friday. —Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 30 May 2026

But only service members who are not overweight and fit certain height and weight requirements can attend, according to a screenshot of a Pentagon memo shared to a military Facebook group and a person familiar with the matter. —Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1621, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overweight

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

overweight

1 of 2 noun

over·​weight ˈō-vər-ˌwāt 

sense 2 is usually ˌō-vər-ˈwāt

1

: weight above what is required or allowed

2

: excessive or burdensome weight

overweight

2 of 2 adjective

over·​weight ˌō-vər-ˈwāt 

: being more than the expected, normal, or proper weight

especially : having greater than normal bodily weight for one's age, height, and build

Medical Definition

overweight

adjective

over·​weight -ˈwāt 

: weighing in excess of the normal for one's age, height, and build

overweight adolescents

overweight adults typically have a body mass index of 25 to 29.9

overweight noun