over·weight
ˈō-vər-ˌwāt 
sense 2 is usually
ˌō-vər-ˈwāt
1
: weight over and above what is required or allowed
2
: excessive or burdensome weight
over·weight
ˌō-vər-ˈwāt
overweighted; overweighting; overweights
over·weight
ˌō-vər-ˈwāt
: 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
Michael Bloom, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
GLP-1s are reshaping what’s possible in weight management at a time when nearly 75% of American adults live with overweight or obesity.
—Tara Comonte, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026
Michael Bloom, CNBC, 28 Jan. 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
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 13 Feb. 2026
Merlin said she’s been overweight for most of her life and has tried everything, including diet and exercise, lap band surgery and a number of different weight loss medications.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overweight
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Noun
Barclays downgrades Norwegian to equal weight from overweight Barclays downgraded the cruise company mainly on valuation.
—Michael Bloom, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
GLP-1s are reshaping what’s possible in weight management at a time when nearly 75% of American adults live with overweight or obesity.
—Tara Comonte, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
KeyBanc upgrades Nextpower to overweight from sector weight KeyBanc sees an attractive risk/reward for the alternative energy company following earnings.
—Michael Bloom, CNBC, 28 Jan. 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
Body Weight Being overweight or obese is another major risk factor—both for developing asthma and for the condition getting worse—but Gordon said the interplay is complex.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 13 Feb. 2026
Merlin said she’s been overweight for most of her life and has tried everything, including diet and exercise, lap band surgery and a number of different weight loss medications.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overweight
Cite this Entry
“Overweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overweight. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overweight
1 of 2 noun
over·weight
ˈō-vər-ˌwāt
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
: 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
: 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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