overpay

verb

over·​pay ˌō-vər-ˈpā How to pronounce overpay (audio)
overpaid ˌō-vər-ˈpād How to pronounce overpay (audio) ; overpaying

transitive + intransitive

: to pay too much to someone or for something
… the debate over whether organic foods are a smart choice for healthier living or a marketing tool that gulls people into overpaying.Kenneth Chang
It took my husband and me an hour with a representative to figure out we were overpaying for insurance and unlimited data plans.Tanisha A. Sykes
Be careful not to overpay state taxes.Carl T. Hall
We are not overpaying people; we are paying people what the market demands.Renee Glover
overpaid adjective
… fuels the negative stereotype of the overpaid underworked bureaucrat. Joann S. Lublin

Examples of overpay in a Sentence

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.
The era of overpaying for a device with an OLED display is over. Jade Chung-Lee, PC Magazine, 17 June 2025 To learn more about fast internet, download and upload speeds, and for tips on choosing a plan without overpaying for it, check out our guide below. David Brinkerhoff, USA Today, 11 June 2025 Once one of the sport’s most monied clubs, Barca has battled financial problems since an economic crisis at the turn of the decade brought on by the pandemic’s lack of matchday revenue, plus overpaying for signings, which took it to the brink of oblivion. Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025 Such an approach, however, would have been less accurate and might have resulted in overpaying companies that could have executed projects with less government money. Nikita Lalwani, Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for overpay

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overpay was in 1664

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Cite this Entry

“Overpay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overpay. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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