over·kill
ˌō-vər-ˈkil 
overkilled; overkilling; overkills
: to obliterate (a target) with more nuclear force than required
over·kill
ˈō-vər-ˌkil
1
: a destructive capacity greatly exceeding that required for a given target
2
: an excess of something (such as a quantity or an action) beyond what is required or suitable for a particular purpose
publicity overkill
an overkill in weaponry
3
: killing in excess of what is intended or required
Examples of overkill in a Sentence
Noun
Yes, we need a new car, but this huge truck seems like overkill.
the song already borders on the maudlin—the addition of a syrupy string accompaniment would just be overkill
Recent Examples on the Web
Popular Science, 15 Apr. 2020
These guys need nine lives, as much as they’ve been overkilled.
—Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 25 Aug. 2017
Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 June 2025
Mindful of potential overkill, or of drowning out Simon’s fragile voice, the collective let the arrangements breathe and valued the spaces between notes.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for overkill
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Verb
Some phones, such as Sony’s Xperia Z Premium devices, reach higher on this metric to match the 4K resolution that’s now standard on most TVs, but that’s generally overkill and only costs you battery life without providing any real visual benefit.
—Popular Science, 15 Apr. 2020
These guys need nine lives, as much as they’ve been overkilled.
—Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 25 Aug. 2017
Noun
Part Rambo, part Aliens, Predator features the kind of glorious Reagan-era overkill typical of its blockbuster age, marrying shoot-’em-up spectacle to an ingenious narrative hook.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 June 2025
Mindful of potential overkill, or of drowning out Simon’s fragile voice, the collective let the arrangements breathe and valued the spaces between notes.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for overkill
Cite this Entry
“Overkill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overkill. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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