overweight

1 of 3

noun

over·​weight ˈō-vər-ˌwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
sense 2 is usually
ˌō-vər-ˈwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
Synonyms of overweightnext
1
: weight over and above what is required or allowed
2
: excessive or burdensome weight

overweight

2 of 3

verb

over·​weight ˌō-vər-ˈwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
overweighted; overweighting; overweights

transitive verb

1
: to give too much weight or consideration to
2
: to weight excessively

overweight

3 of 3

adjective

over·​weight ˌō-vər-ˈwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
: exceeding expected, normal, or proper weight
especially : exceeding the bodily weight normal for one's age, height, and build

Examples of overweight in a Sentence

Adjective He looked to be at least 20 pounds overweight. an overweight person who had difficulty running even a short distance
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
For the study, researchers analyzed data from food logs collected from 112 people with overweight or obesity who were enrolled in a structured behavioral weight loss program. Korin Miller, SELF, 27 Mar. 2026 Shares fell more than 4% after the lawn and garden products company was downgraded to neutral from overweight at JPMorgan. Christina Cheddar Berk,michelle Fox, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
Barclays upgrades Align Technology to overweight from equal weight Barclays says the dental company is too attractive to ignore. Michael Bloom, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026 Local and regional African credit rating agencies argue that their global counterparts overweight hard currency constraints and external shocks while underestimating domestic resilience and informal economic activity. Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
India and China are home to 800 million overweight adults and 360 million with diabetes. Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026 These pets, as well as older and overweight pets, should be kept inside as much as possible. Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overweight

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1621, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overweight was in 1552

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overweight. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

overweight

1 of 2 noun
over·​weight ˈō-vər-ˌwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
sense 2 is usually ˌō-vər-ˈwāt
1
: weight above what is required or allowed
2
: excessive or burdensome weight

overweight

2 of 2 adjective
over·​weight ˌō-vər-ˈwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
: being more than the expected, normal, or proper weight
especially : having greater than normal bodily weight for one's age, height, and build

Medical Definition

overweight

adjective
over·​weight -ˈwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
: weighing in excess of the normal for one's age, height, and build
overweight adolescents
overweight adults typically have a body mass index of 25 to 29.9
overweight noun

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