as in too
beyond a normal or acceptable limit
there's no need to be overly careful about the rough draft, since we'll polish it afterwards
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overly
Castaneda, Marshall writes, made an end run around the department’s Yaqui expert, with the other committee members overly impressed by his au courant melange of fieldwork and gauzy ruminations, despite the fact that his timelines and grasp of mycology didn’t make sense.
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Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
That’s the deficiency side of integrity—where authenticity gives way to fakery, consistency erodes into unpredictability, and transparency slips into manipulation…But swing too far in the other direction, and the skyscraper becomes overly rigid—too stiff to sway with the wind.
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Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
There is something stereotypically masculine about the kind of chest-pumping, overly stylish translations of your predecessors.
—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 June 2026
Reduces Strain on Your HVAC System Keeping your AC on, even at a higher temperature setting, means that your HVAC system doesn't need to play catch-up in an overly hot house.
—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overly
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
That’s the deficiency side of integrity—where authenticity gives way to fakery, consistency erodes into unpredictability, and transparency slips into manipulation…But swing too far in the other direction, and the skyscraper becomes overly rigid—too stiff to sway with the wind.
—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
There is something stereotypically masculine about the kind of chest-pumping, overly stylish translations of your predecessors.
—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 June 2026
Reduces Strain on Your HVAC System Keeping your AC on, even at a higher temperature setting, means that your HVAC system doesn't need to play catch-up in an overly hot house.
—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overly
Adverb
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So too did a record 400-million-barrel release from the International Energy Agency’s strategic petroleum reserves – a supply boost that’s still underway.
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The man who made a reputation by doing the impossible with African Cup of Nation wins had too little time to find the magic with Tunisia.
Adverb
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But being excessively loud in cabins, hallways, or public areas, and disrupting the peace for others isn’t cool.
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Both point out that pickle juice is high in sodium; infrequently or in small doses, that’s fine, but if consumed excessively, pickle juice can pretty quickly put you beyond the daily amount of sodium health experts recommend that people consume.
Adverb
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The legal scholars watching this expect the eventual fights to turn on old questions, whether a state law unduly burdens interstate commerce, whether federal rules quietly override it.
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Cynics think that Manchesterism is a mirage and that Burnham is unduly hogging the credit for the regeneration of the city’s downtown.
Adverb
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That restraint also challenges the idea that sauvignon blanc must be extremely aromatic to be recognizable.
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Superconductors can carry electricity with zero resistance, but only at extremely low temperatures.
Cite this Entry
“Overly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overly. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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