over-the-top

adjective

Definition of over-the-topnext
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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 over-the-top Beyond being used to stalk innocent people, the cameras have also swarmed random individuals with over-the-top police responses, including a journalist. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 20 Aug. 2026 All of those channels stream with ESPN Unlimited, an over-the-top subscription that’s also accessible with certain cable/streaming logins. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Densely adorned with all the classic trappings – maritime decor, dim lighting and over-the-top decorative mugs – The Jungle Bird serves up both the tried-and-true classics and some original creations. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026 They might have been inspired to go low-key after attending Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s over-the-top nuptials at Madison Square Garden in NYC over July 4 weekend. — Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for over-the-top
Recent Examples of Synonyms for over-the-top
  1. excessive
  2. extreme
  3. extravagant
  4. insane
  5. steep
  6. lavish
Adjective
  • Even so, the view here is that the harsh criticism of Romo and Nantz has been excessive among some media critics.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026
  • In The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt argues that overparenting and excessive screen time are driving declines in youth mental health.
    — Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of excessive
Adjective
  • The combination of extreme heat and high demand for sites — which means not everyone can visit in the morning — is adding urgency to sun protection.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Phillips-Fein recently talked to CNN about how those ideals have eroded in recent years and why some working- class and poor people embrace the belief that extreme inequality is good for America.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of extreme
Adjective
  • Despite all of this potential economic turmoil on the Canadian side, Carney still concluded that at the end of the day, the cost of acceding to Washington’s extravagant demands was higher than the cost of job losses and strain on a key industry.
    — Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Their journey leads them through an extravagant amusement park built on the grounds of a drug lord’s former estate.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of extravagant
Adjective
  • If that insane offer doesn’t plug the leak, the fire sale begins.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • That’s a big memory for me as a kid, so having that happen is insane.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of insane
Adjective
  • This rainfall may produce life threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in steep terrain and over areas that were affected recently by Hurricane Lala.
    — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Growth-stage companies currently forced into private placements at steep discounts and significant dilution to existing shareholders would gain a transparent, public alternative.
    — Cromwell Coulson, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of steep
Adjective
  • Lindsay Lohan wowed in a sleek minidress during a lavish family vacation in the French Riviera with her husband Bader Shammas and their 3-year-old son Luai.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray An enchanted portrait and a life of debauchery are at the core of this lavish literary horror by Oscar Wilde.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of lavish

Browse Nearby Words

over the moon
over-the-top
overthrew
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Over-the-top.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/over-the-top. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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