overqualified

adjective

over·​qual·​i·​fied ˌō-vər-ˈkwä-lə-ˌfīd 

: having more education, training, or experience than a job calls for

Examples of overqualified in a Sentence

They didn't hire her because she was overqualified for the job.

Recent Examples on the Web

Most graduates feel confident their skills match those required for entry-level roles, and 20% reported feeling overqualified for an entry-level position. —Rachel Barber, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025

The majority feel optimistic about landing a job after graduation, but a surprising number feel overqualified for the jobs being offered. —Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

Defense has at least been a constant under Franklin, and while recent DC Manny Diaz is now the head coach at Duke, ex-Indiana head coach Tom Allen is an overqualified replacement. —Stewart Mandel, The Athletic, 24 Apr. 2024

Editor’s picks What uniformly overqualified performers British TV director James Hawes has assembled around his fidgety lead. —A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overqualified

• acetaldehyde
• acetanilide
• arabinoside
• cycloheximide
• cyclophosphamide
• diethylamide
• dinucleotide
• ferricyanide
• ferrocyanide
• glutaraldehyde
• glyceraldehyde
• hydroperoxide