overwrite

verb

over·​write ˌō-vər-ˈrīt 

ˌō-və-

overwrote ˌō-vər-ˈrōt 

ˌō-və-

; overwritten ˌō-vər-ˈri-tᵊn 

ˌō-və-

; overwriting ˌō-vər-ˈrī-tiŋ 

ˌō-və-

transitive verb

1

: to write over the surface of

2

: to write in inflated or overly elaborate style

intransitive verb

: to write too much or in an overly elaborate style

Examples of overwrite in a Sentence

The author has a tendency to overwrite.

Recent Examples on the Web

The feature addresses a longstanding limitation in the AI model where ChatGPT users who wanted to try different approaches had to either overwrite their existing conversation after a certain point by changing a previous prompt or start completely fresh. —Benj Edwards, ArsTechnica, 5 Sep. 2025

Either way, this critical data can easily be overwritten, so preserving it as soon as possible is essential for any involved third parties, such as investigations, insurance claims, and legal defence. —Raymond Umerley, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025

Another study published in March found AI bots cheated at chess by overwriting game scripts or using an open-source chess engine to decide their next moves. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025

The Central Jail usually begins to overwrite such data after about nine months, due to tech. —Jaelyn Rodriguez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for overwrite

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite

Kids Definition

overwrite

verb

over·​write ˌō-və(r)-ˈrīt 

overwrote -ˈrōt  ; overwritten -ˈrit-ᵊn  ; overwriting -ˈrīt-iŋ 

1

: to write over the surface of : write on top of

2

: to write too much or in an overly elaborate style

overwritten accounts of everyday events