1
as in heated
being in a state of increased activity or agitation
became overwrought when she heard that her child was missing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ornate
elaborately and often excessively decorated
the author's prose is overwrought with purple passages and florid metaphors
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overwrought
The real truth is that no one should care about what reactionary, overwrought critics have to say.
—
Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 5 Aug. 2025
But for all this time, Republicans have proven unwilling to withstand overwrought attacks about wanting to kill Big Bird.
—The Editors, National Review, 19 July 2025
Jeffrey Harris, a former prosecutor with the Southern District of New York, said jurors might have agreed that the prosecution’s case was overwrought from the start.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 2 July 2025
The narrative is deliberately overwrought and overwritten.
—Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwrought
Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 5 Aug. 2025
But for all this time, Republicans have proven unwilling to withstand overwrought attacks about wanting to kill Big Bird.
—The Editors, National Review, 19 July 2025
Jeffrey Harris, a former prosecutor with the Southern District of New York, said jurors might have agreed that the prosecution’s case was overwrought from the start.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 2 July 2025
The narrative is deliberately overwrought and overwritten.
—Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwrought
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwrought
Adjective
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McGuire and Kansas head coach Lance Leipold could be seen having a heated discussion after the game.—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
-
The bathrooms are all marble with heated flooring and assistance bars.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Indie rock veered away from the more ornate, baroque pocket that Grizzly Bear dominated, with indie rock bands in the late 2010s and early 2020s going more pop, country, or shoegaze.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
10 Oct. 2025
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Ruiz’s family members in Alabama sold tamales and organized a raffle of an ornate belt buckle to raise funds for bail.—
Amy Yurkanin,
ProPublica,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Jones is particularly excited about the opportunities for personalization.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
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But while countless fans couldn’t be more excited for Bad Bunny’s showcase, other people — including the president of the United States — aren’t as keen that a primarily Spanish-speaking artist got the gig.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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From baroque palaces to Bauhaus, Germany offers a journey through centuries of creativity, innovation, and imagination.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
18 Sep. 2025
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Subsequent reports revealed that Bolsonaro and his allies had devised a baroque plot to regain power, which included jailing and possibly murdering their political opponents.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Are assassins like Kirk’s killer simply pathological outliers among agitated but otherwise self-restrained populations?—
Ron Barrett,
The Conversation,
2 Oct. 2025
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According to the complaint, video footage from a nearby convenience store showed Cullen in the shop appearing agitated and holding a handgun.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Yet even this make-do meal felt extravagant.—
Reem Kassis,
The Atlantic,
11 Oct. 2025
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Condon created his newest adaptation by blending the novel's grittiness and its extravagant Broadway adaptation, effectively taking audiences on a journey between reality and fantasy.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overwrought.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwrought. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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