overpay

verb

over·​pay ˌō-vər-ˈpā 

overpaid ˌō-vər-ˈpād  ; 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

But dismissing public servants as lazy, overpaid or uncaring ignores the reality of the people doing the work — and undermines our ability to attract the talent needed to govern well. —John Atkinson, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026

At some point, every team winds up somewhat overpaying to keep their talent, in order to augment. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026

Most likely, money — namely not wanting to overpay for Warners — is what ultimately prompted Netflix to walk away. —Josef Adalian, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026

The Leafs could certainly wait to move Ekman-Larsson and/or Carlo in the offseason, but teams tend to be more reckless, and thus willing to overpay, in the days and weeks before the deadline. —Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overpay

• aaa
• adonais
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway