as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
The writing was great, but some of the acting was over-the-top.
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Recent Examples of over-the-top
The symbolism is a little over-the-top if this is the case, but then again, this is a show for teens based on a YA novel, also for teens, and sometimes the symbolism needs to be screamed in ALL CAPS.
—
Sam Reed, Glamour, 29 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Maybe that makes Bugonia sound sort of fun—and the movie does contain some ridiculously over-the-top exploding-bodies gore—but Lanthimos goes out of his way to amp up the story’s ugly, brutish qualities.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
The complaint says Dish has a limited over-the-top digital license to distribute ESPN programming as part of Dish’s Sling TV service.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The sentence was intentionally undemocratic, deliberately cruel and over-the-top.
—Don McKellar, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for over-the-top
Sam Reed, Glamour, 29 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Maybe that makes Bugonia sound sort of fun—and the movie does contain some ridiculously over-the-top exploding-bodies gore—but Lanthimos goes out of his way to amp up the story’s ugly, brutish qualities.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
The complaint says Dish has a limited over-the-top digital license to distribute ESPN programming as part of Dish’s Sling TV service.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The sentence was intentionally undemocratic, deliberately cruel and over-the-top.
—Don McKellar, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for over-the-top
Recent Examples of Synonyms for over-the-top
Adjective
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Avoid using excessive water to prevent damaging the floors.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
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Common symptoms include excessive scratching, licking, ear infections, and digestive issues.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Ketamine therapy’s most common short-term side effects are dizziness and nausea, but in extreme cases, long-term, heavy use of ketamine is associated with memory problems, gastrointestinal issues, and urinary tract infections, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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Tootles’ death disproves this, showing that a hybrid being can die under extreme circumstances.—
Leia Mendoza,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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What to expect Vaughn said the boutique has something for everyone with dress sizes ranging from zero to 28 and a variety of styles from short and simple to long and extravagant.—
Emma George-Griffin,
Freep.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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As the dust settles on another chaotic summer of extravagant Premier League spending, there’s time to take a step back.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Stines’ defense attorneys, Jeremy and Kerri Bartley, say the sheriff was insane at the time of the killing and want his full mental health report – which is currently sealed – released to the public.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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Making straight men insane comes with the territory on one of TV’s most-talked about shows of the last five years (House of the Dragon continues to rack up toward 10 million viewers per ep).—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Some technology geeks may indeed be attracted to these features, though there are trade-offs here, and steep ones, as many normies will also find these features absolutely infuriating.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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Trump’s immigration crackdown is at odds with his efforts to bring foreign money into the US and could unsettle trade talks with South Korea, which in July pledged $350 billion in investments in exchange for being spared steep tariffs.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The designer, who turned 76 on June 27, is known for her lavish birthday bashes.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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Some have lost fortunes due to family drama and trauma, seen their homes go up in flames or watched their money disappear due to too much partying and lavish spending.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Over-the-top.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/over-the-top. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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