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.
Who are the most underpaid and overpaid coaches? Jordan Mendoza, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025 The Wild had no choice but to overpay. Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 Some have suggested that the Ellisons overpaid for The Free Press. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025 Like Robert Maxwell’s pursuit of the New York Daily News or Rupert Murdoch overpaying to pry The Wall Street Journal from the Bancroft family, Musk had to have it. Jacob Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 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 19 Oct. 2025.

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