overtime

noun

over·​time ˈō-vər-ˌtīm 

1

: time in excess of a set limit: such as

a

: working time in excess of a standard day or week

b

: an extra period of play in a contest

2

: the wage paid for overtime

overtime adverb

Examples of overtime in a Sentence

I worked two hours of overtime last week.

He was doing a lot of overtime to save for his vacation.

How much did you earn last month in overtime?

The game went into overtime.

They lost the game in overtime.

Recent Examples on the Web

For decades, there has been a shortage of air traffic controllers in the United States and many are working mandatory overtime, so a small number of people taking unscheduled time off can have a major impact. —Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025

Dan Lanning's Oregon team is 5-0 to start the year, fresh off an overtime victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions two weekends ago. —Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025

If the game had gone to overtime, they’d have been stuck in London for the night, extending a week-and-a-half-long road trip that had begun in Cleveland. —Michael Silver, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025

The previous year, Kansas State beat TCU 31-28 in overtime in the Big 12 championship game, though the Horned Frogs still advanced to the College Football Playoff. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing overtime

• overtime pay
• work overtime

Rhymes for overtime

• aforetime
• allozyme
• anytime
• christmastime
• cybercrime
• dinnertime
• guggenheim
• isozyme
• lysozyme
• maritime
• mesenchyme
• pantomime

Kids Definition

overtime

noun

over·​time ˈō-vər-ˌtīm 

1

: time beyond a set limit

especially : working time beyond a standard day or week

2

: the wage paid for overtime

overtime adverb or adjective