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

Despite the current dynamics at play in the U.S. housing market, there are still markets that are resisting the price correction that is already ongoing in places like Austin, Texas, or Tampa, Florida, which became particularly overheated during the pandemic. —Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025

Utilities aim to prevent overheating their lines and avoid causing outages. —Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025

Cool, Clammy Skin Whenever the body is overheated, the hypothalamus will trigger the normal dilation (widening) of blood vessels near the surface of the skin, causing the skin temperature to rise. —Md Published, Verywell Health, 10 Aug. 2025

Plus, it’s made from a lightweight straw so your head won’t overheat, even in the direct sunlight. —Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2025

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