Try This Instead

For
Try This
excessive amounts
extreme amounts
unnecessary amounts
copious amounts
unhealthy amounts
enormous amounts
excessive use
excessive wear
extreme wear
heavy wear
massive wear

Synonym Chooser

How is the word excessive different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of excessive are exorbitant, extravagant, extreme, immoderate, and inordinate. While all these words mean "going beyond a normal limit," excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable.

excessive punishment

When is exorbitant a more appropriate choice than excessive?

The words exorbitant and excessive can be used in similar contexts, but exorbitant implies a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree.

exorbitant prices

Where would extravagant be a reasonable alternative to excessive?

While the synonyms extravagant and excessive are close in meaning, extravagant implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste.

extravagant claims for the product

When might extreme be a better fit than excessive?

Although the words extreme and excessive have much in common, extreme may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable but commonly means only to a notably high degree.

extreme shyness

When can immoderate be used instead of excessive?

The words immoderate and excessive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, immoderate implies lack of desirable or necessary restraint.

immoderate spending

When is it sensible to use inordinate instead of excessive?

The meanings of inordinate and excessive largely overlap; however, inordinate implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment.

inordinate pride

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of excessive For instance, his description of Sultan Allauddin Khilji’s brutality toward his enemies is devoid of accusations of barbarism or excessive hand-wringing. Radha Vatsal june 20, Literary Hub, 20 June 2025 Doctors recommend taking excessive heat warnings seriously. Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 20 June 2025 Only around one in 10 Republicans believed that too much is spent on Medicare or Social Security, while around one-third of Republicans said Medicaid spending was excessive. Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025 Often, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) is the cause of strong or frequent armpit odor. Sherri Gordon, Health, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for excessive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excessive
Adjective
  • The evidence is overwhelming that links extreme heat and air pollution to climate change.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2025
  • Performance impacts are a consideration too, including physiological and mental impacts for athletes competing in extreme heat or experiencing long breaks during play.
    Claire Poole, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • And while not as extravagant as Cirque du Soleil (also from Canada), the show still leaves audiences in awe.
    Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
  • There are a plethora of stories out there about the extravagant infrastructure at the base of the world’s highest peak, such as fancy espresso machines, massages, and five-star cuisine.
    Ben Ayers, Outside Online, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
  • If 51% of the population is being so underserved, the ratio to opportunity is insane.
    Gemma Allen, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • If that happens, expect a sharp reset in valuations, a spike in bond yields, and a steep correction in the S&P 500.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • The rainfall threatened flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with steep terrain.
    Luis Alberto Cruz, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • The lavish Venice wedding of Jeff Bezos, the fourth-richest person in the world, is set to take place the same weekend as Squid Game Season 3’s release on Netflix.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 27 June 2025
  • Jeff Bezos was set to celebrate his lavish wedding to Lauren Sánchez at the Fondazione Cini, a cultural institution on the island which occupies a large part of a Benedictine monastery established there in 982 A.D.
    Max Norman, New Yorker, 27 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Excessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excessive. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on excessive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!