OVERACTIVE Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

overactive

adjective

ˌō-vər-ˈak-tiv

Definition of overactive

as in heated

being in a state of increased activity or agitation the boy manages to panic himself by his own overactive imagination

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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 overactive People with atopic dermatitis also have an overactive immune system, which can trigger inflammation. — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026 Psoriasis is a chronic disease in which the immune system becomes overactive, causing inflamed, scaly patches of skin. — Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026 Treatment options for p-aHUS can vary, but Chin-Hong said there are medications available for p-aHUS, called complement inhibitors, that target the overactive complement system. — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 Bret is obsessed, but is his fixation on Robert the product of lust or an overactive imagination that can’t be fulfilled by his work on a novel titled Less Than Zero? — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overactive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overactive

Adjective

In the back, there’s a 38-foot-long heated saltwater pool and a cabana with a full kitchen.

— Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 15 Sep. 2026
To convert the solid preforms into fiber, workers load them into multi-story draw towers where they are heated and pulled down to 125 microns in diameter — roughly the width of a human hair.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of heated

Adjective

A student who is excited about an experiment is still learning.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
Based on a straw poll of curators, collectors, and rival dealers at a spree of events last week, this is the show everyone’s most excited to see in Chelsea this fall.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of excited

Adjective

Migratory birds in captivity develop Zugunruhe, an agitated fitfulness, at certain times of year.

— Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Following instructions from the kidnappers (unbeknownst to his increasingly agitated comrades), Lee drives out to meet them for the exchange, only to wreck his car and become distracted saving a nearby woman, Hua (Moon Lee).

— Jake Cole, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of agitated

Adjective

Finally, there was the matter of Pollak himself, whose hyperactive social posts could come across as cringe, leaving many, including some inside Coinbase, to see him as high on his own supply.

— Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 20 July 2026
Your hyperactive dog catches the scent of a deer and, powered by his hunter's instinct, disappears in the forest.

— Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 11 July 2026

Definition of hyperactive

Browse Nearby Words

overacting

overactive

overacts

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“Overactive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overactive. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of overactive

adjective

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