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
Jamaica's Carnival celebrations are some of the biggest and most boisterous in the Caribbean, complete with parades, parties, and over-the-top costumes made for getting down to calypso and soca music.
—
Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2025
The production team augments the cast’s over-the-top performances with floor-to-ceiling tentacles (set designer Lindsay Mummert), bursts of green light from the heat rays (lighting designer Sarah Riffle) and warbling sound effects that evoke a 1950s sci-fi film (sound designer Joe Griffin).
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025
While this over-the-top luxury can be dazzling, the most beautiful spots in Palm Beach are the side streets and alleyways off of Worth Avenue.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 31 May 2025
While the top-tier business class is offering higher tech and more high-touch service, the carriers don’t have the over-the-top amenities of international airlines.
—Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for over-the-top
Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2025
The production team augments the cast’s over-the-top performances with floor-to-ceiling tentacles (set designer Lindsay Mummert), bursts of green light from the heat rays (lighting designer Sarah Riffle) and warbling sound effects that evoke a 1950s sci-fi film (sound designer Joe Griffin).
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025
While this over-the-top luxury can be dazzling, the most beautiful spots in Palm Beach are the side streets and alleyways off of Worth Avenue.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 31 May 2025
While the top-tier business class is offering higher tech and more high-touch service, the carriers don’t have the over-the-top amenities of international airlines.
—Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for over-the-top
Recent Examples of Synonyms for over-the-top
Adjective
-
Botox effectively treats hyperhidrosis by blocking the nerve signals responsible for excessive sweating.—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
27 May 2025
-
Alcohol and excessive speed were suspected of being involved in the crash, and charges are pending, but not expected to be filed for several weeks.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Mar. 2025
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The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.—
Helen Rosner,
The New Yorker,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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An extravagant estate long owned by the late Orange County Air Force major general turned homebuilder and civic leader William Lyon has roared onto the market in Southern California.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
6 June 2025
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Nothing extravagant—just a modest suburban home and savings accumulated over a lifetime.—
Joseph Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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People who are staying with family members without a lease agreement, or who have inherited property informally, have long struggled to get federal help rebuilding after extreme weather, despite the fact that such families are less likely to have home insurance.—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
5 June 2025
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As shocking and extreme as this season was, all paths led here.—
Jennifer Adams,
StyleCaster,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Over-the-top.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/over-the-top. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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