as in surplus
the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed
the song already borders on the maudlin—the addition of a syrupy string accompaniment would just be overkill
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Recent Examples of overkill
In an age when blockbuster overkill is supposed to be saving movies, the film reminds you that the real salvation of cinema will always come from those who understand that making a movie should be a magic trick good enough to fool the magician himself into believing it.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 May 2025
This might sound like overkill, but as the car heats up and snow starts to slide, roof snow can fall onto windshields and obscure vision at intersections or when pressing on the brakes.
—Kade Krichko, Outside Online, 6 Mar. 2025
Since the 2015 Progeny box already gave us seven full concerts from the same tour, an additional show is welcome, but a bit of an overkill.
—Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2025
That big ol’ stockpot may suddenly seem like total overkill.
—Jessica Saari Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overkill
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 May 2025
This might sound like overkill, but as the car heats up and snow starts to slide, roof snow can fall onto windshields and obscure vision at intersections or when pressing on the brakes.
—Kade Krichko, Outside Online, 6 Mar. 2025
Since the 2015 Progeny box already gave us seven full concerts from the same tour, an additional show is welcome, but a bit of an overkill.
—Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2025
That big ol’ stockpot may suddenly seem like total overkill.
—Jessica Saari Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overkill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overkill
Noun
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Meanwhile, the too-young Thunder are too-young no longer, an NBA champion with a surplus of draft capital still to burn.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
23 June 2025
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Speaking on Monday at Bloomberg’s Future of Finance in Ireland event in Dublin, Donohoe said that the government must use that surplus with an eye on the longer term.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
23 June 2025
Noun
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The lavish display of money and excess has provoked backlash from local residents and environmental demonstrators who protest the use of the Unesco world heritage site as a playground for the super-rich.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
27 June 2025
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An excess of Helena, which no one, least of all me, wanted.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
Noun
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Afterward, Ye was seated in the front row of overflow room 23B, watching the monitor with his bodyguards.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
17 June 2025
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Ye arrived at about 11:30am and was inside the courthouse watching the testimony from day 23 of the trial in one of the overflow rooms before leaving after about an hour, per court personnel on the scene.—
Vivian Kwarm,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overkill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overkill. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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