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
Morgan Stanley downgrades Cleveland-Cliffs to equal weight from overweight The firm says the risk/reward is more balanced. Michael Bloom, CNBC, 22 June 2026 Delta, for example, charges $100 if a bag is even one pound overweight (though some ticket agents have been known to generously look the other way if the overage isn’t excessive). Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 16 June 2026
Verb
JPMorgan upgrades Camp4Therepeutics to overweight from neutral JPMorgan says shares of the biotech company have plenty of upside. Michael Bloom, CNBC, 16 June 2026 This was also important for the return to Earth, because the agency didn’t want to overweight one side of the spacecraft with equipment and throw off the balance of the spacecraft during reentry and splashdown. New Atlas, 6 June 2026
Adjective
Earlier in the week, Wells Fargo reiterated its overweight rating on shares of Citigroup, and raised its price target to $165 from $162. Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 19 June 2026 The first involves an exhausted executive, twenty pounds overweight, commuting hours each way, drifting from his wife and team. Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 18 June 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 23 Jun. 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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