1
as in general
belonging or relating to the whole
the overall view seems to be that we're doing fine economically
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in broad
relating to the main elements and not to specific details
there's an overall similarity in the looks of the models for that chain of clothing stores
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in prevailing
held by or applicable to a majority of the people
the overall mind-set among the people in our town seems to be that any increase in taxes is bad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in collectively
with everyone or everything taken into account at the same time
reduce the budget overall by 15 percent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mostly
for the most part
overall, this is a good speech, but it could use a little humor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of overall
Linley Sanders, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Giving houseplants too much water can contribute to leaf drop and weak overall growth, which can eventually make plants look stretched out and leggy.
—Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 14 Jan. 2026
Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 15 Jan. 2026
The price of household necessities rose in December over the previous month, even as inflation overall held steady.
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overall
Adjective
Both measures are in line with his overall job approval, which has largely remained steady throughout his second term.
—Linley Sanders, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Giving houseplants too much water can contribute to leaf drop and weak overall growth, which can eventually make plants look stretched out and leggy.
—Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 14 Jan. 2026
Adverb
Pockets of vulnerability North Carolina, overall, has a higher vaccination rate among kindergarteners than most other states.
—Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 15 Jan. 2026
The price of household necessities rose in December over the previous month, even as inflation overall held steady.
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overall
Adjective
-
After setting a new standard for the organization in 2025, general manager Dan Morgan, head coach Dave Canales and their respective staffs need to raise the bar even higher.—
Mike Kaye
January 12,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Daniel McFadin is a general assignment reporter who has been with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since October 2022.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The court’s eventual ruling could have broad implications for how schools nationwide regulate transgender participation in athletics.—
Heather Hunter,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Strong results, broad impact The team tested the system against conventional motion reproduction systems, linear interpolation methods, and a typical imitation learning model.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Council members asked questions about rerouting bus traffic through the site, whether the construction jobs would pay prevailing wages, the amount of public open space available within the project, and the percentage of apartments reserved for low-income tenants.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The monthly stochastic oscillator remains in overbought territory ( > 80%), underscoring the strength of the prevailing bullish trend rather than signaling exhaustion.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
15 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
The fires collectively burned nearly 40,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Herrington collectively calls them cobra kids—the cobra is a BUSAR symbol.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Minnesota is also reeling from the ongoing billion-dollar fraud scandal, in which federal prosecutors say nearly 100 suspects, mostly immigrants from Somalia, stole taxpayer money by billing the state for nutrition, housing and behavioral health services that never actually happened.—
Jonah Kaplan,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
For those who go above their hours, Garden City paid out $305,000 in overtime in 2025, mostly for public works and law enforcement employees.—
Scott McIntosh,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In November, a Marist-PBS-NPR poll found that Democrats had a 14-point lead on the generic ballot, the largest advantage for control of Congress in eight years.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Those comments come as Bristol Myers Squibb prepares to offset losses from an upcoming loss of exclusivity cycle of blockbuster drugs over the next several years, which will allow generic competitors to come to the market.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Trust for Public Land releases a yearly ranking of major cities in the US based on their residents’ access to public recreation areas – the city of Los Angeles ranks an embarrassing 90th, highlighting that access is undoubtedly a concern.—
Rafael Perez,
Daily News,
16 Jan. 2026
-
In each case, agents shot at drivers or into moving cars – a practice that has largely been discouraged by law enforcement because of risks to public safety.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
16 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Carthen arrived on the red carpet on January 11 wearing emerald green Christian Siriano, which showed off every curve, and generally stopped all viewers right in their tracks.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
12 Jan. 2026
-
There aren’t many orchestra conductors in Charlotte generally.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overall. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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