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
Annual exams may be overkill for some young adults with no signs of vision problems.
—
Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2025
Face to face, calling the director often seems like overkill.
—Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2025
That estimated full camper price includes a €5,750 Bear-Lock fortified security system that was part of the Nugget Terranger show vehicle but might feel like overkill to many buyers.
—New Atlas, 19 Sep. 2025
It’s also plagued by confusing time jumps, clunky dialogue that tells rather than shows and plot complications that get too complicated, bordering on overkill.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overkill
Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2025
Face to face, calling the director often seems like overkill.
—Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2025
That estimated full camper price includes a €5,750 Bear-Lock fortified security system that was part of the Nugget Terranger show vehicle but might feel like overkill to many buyers.
—New Atlas, 19 Sep. 2025
It’s also plagued by confusing time jumps, clunky dialogue that tells rather than shows and plot complications that get too complicated, bordering on overkill.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overkill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overkill
Noun
-
Snowfall Breakdown Precipitation data highlights a surplus of snow, regardless of how the season is measured.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Viewing it releases a surplus of dopamine in the brain that leads your body to crave even more dopamine, creating a cycle of addiction.—
Beth Collums,
AJC.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
What happens, though, when those excesses transcend the merely stupid, the merely unjust, to become existential?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Liberal and conservative polls show the president’s support is cratering across all groups because of ICE’s excesses but especially with independents and Latinos, two constituencies crucial to his 2024 triumph and the future of MAGA.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There was an overflow room to accommodate the number of people who attended the service.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Place pie pan on a cookie sheet to catch any overflow.—
Kathryn Gregory,
Louisville Courier Journal,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overkill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overkill. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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