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

The insanely overqualified Alfre Woodard and John Slattery play Sidney’s CIA superiors, though they’re physically isolated from the action in Langley and thus sparingly used. —Alison Herman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2025

The Knicks also signed three overqualified Exhibit 9 training camp players in Malcolm Brogdon, Landry Shamet, and Garrison Mathews. —Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025

Social media is rife with cautionary tales, such as frustrated job seekers submitting hundreds of applications with no callbacks and overqualified candidates applying in droves for entry-level positions. —Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025

However, grads might have better luck pivoting into trade jobs and making peace with being overqualified and in debt than pining for the dream corporate job. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 9 July 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