overboard

adverb

over·​board ˈō-vər-ˌbȯrd 

1

: over the side of a ship or boat into the water

2

: to extremes of enthusiasm

3

: into discard : aside

Examples of overboard in a Sentence

He threw the fish overboard.

The boy fell overboard and almost drowned.

One of the sailors fell into the water, and someone shouted “Man overboard!”.

Recent Examples on the Web

That evening, after the couple departed Hope Town for their yacht, Soulmate, in Elbow Cay, bad weather caused Lynette Hooker to fall off their dinghy and go overboard, Brian Hooker told authorities. —Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026

Cluttered Accents While your patio should definitely have some personality, there is such a thing as going overboard with decorative accents, McGhee notes. —Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 22 Apr. 2026

Mascaro is in full control as is his main star for a triumph about overcoming the odds and fighting back against a culture that wants to throw the elderly overboard. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026

On April 18, a passenger in his 70s reportedly climbed over the vessel's safety rails and went overboard. —Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing overboard

• go overboard
• wash overboard

Rhymes for overboard

• checkerboard
• clavichord
• fiberboard
• fibreboard
• fingerboard
• harpsichord
• motherboard
• notochord
• overlord
• paperboard
• plasterboard
• shuffleboard

Kids Definition

overboard

adverb

over·​board ˈō-vər-ˌbō(ə)rd 

-ˌbȯ(ə)rd

1

: over the side of a ship into the water

2

: to extremes of enthusiasm

go overboard for a new fad