overschedule

verb

over·​sched·​ule
ˌō-vər-ˈske-(ˌ)jül,
-jəl How to pronounce overschedule (audio)
 Canadian also  -ˈshe-,
 British usually  -ˈshe-(ˌ)dyül
overscheduled; overscheduling

transitive + intransitive

: to schedule (someone or something) with too many events or activities
We overschedule our days and complain constantly about being too busy …Will Schwalbe
If you cringe at each ding of your … calendar, you might be overscheduling yourself …Natasha Koifman
The dentist should be reasonably prompt in keeping appointments. If he or she chronically overschedules, or otherwise fails to see patients on time, it may signify a less than satisfactory commitment to patient welfare.Jack Klatell et al.
Many kids are overscheduled and simply need more time to relax.Tammy Darling

Examples of overschedule in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web If someone is overscheduling, set expectations from the outset. Marisa Meltzer, Town & Country, 14 June 2023 After complaining that he was overscheduled with morning meetings, Mr. Trump stopped showing up at the Oval Office until 11 or 11:30 a.m. each day, staying in the residence to watch television, make phone calls or send out incendiary tweets. Zolan Kanno-Youngs, New York Times, 4 June 2023 After complaining that he was overscheduled with morning meetings, Trump stopped showing up at the Oval Office until 11 or 11:30 a.m. each day, staying in the residence to watch television, make phone calls, or send out incendiary tweets. Peter Baker, BostonGlobe.com, 4 June 2023 All of us were overscheduled management types, and there were no takers. Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 1 June 2023 Steward warned against overscheduling since filling out planning documents — especially without a lawyer's assistance — can be difficult. Talis Shelbourne, Journal Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2023 Southwest reported an $800 million hit from the events, went through refunding and reimbursing customers and faced a Department of Transportation inquiry for potentially overscheduling flights. Alexandra Skores, Dallas News, 14 Mar. 2023 But don’t overschedule. Leena Kim, Town & Country, 9 Oct. 2022 Williams orchestrated some of that with team-building activities, but also has been careful not to overschedule those things. Kent Somers, The Arizona Republic, 13 Aug. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overschedule.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overschedule was in 1925

Dictionary Entries Near overschedule

Cite this Entry

“Overschedule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overschedule. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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