overboard

adverb

over·​board ˈō-vər-ˌbȯrd How to pronounce overboard (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There are other cask finishes to try as well, and many are quite good (although some of the wine barrel expressions go a bit overboard for my taste). Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 18 May 2025 The 2nd mate dumped the secret documents overboard. Heather Farmbrough, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025 The three men were thrown overboard and drowned, the law enforcement agency said. Hank Sanders, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2025 Shortly after the incident, The Hollywood Reporter reported that security footage appeared to show Burch jumping overboard, with Nassau police clearing Downe of any wrongdoing. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for overboard

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of overboard was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Overboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overboard. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

overboard

adverb
over·​board ˈō-vər-ˌbō(ə)rd How to pronounce overboard (audio)
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
1
: over the side of a ship into the water
2
: to extremes of enthusiasm
go overboard for a new fad

More from Merriam-Webster on overboard

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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