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
The defense has argued that police waited too long to read Mangione his Miranda rights and that the police actions amounted to overkill.
—
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2025
Proving that there’s nothing MAGA love like overkill, there’s also whole lot of George Washington (including a historically daft 2010 Dodge Challenger ad) in the almost hangover inducing 40-second spot.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 9 Nov. 2025
Giving a sniper rifle explosive rounds that also cause electrical shocks seems like overkill, but shooting that gun never gets old.
—Jason Fanelli, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Annual exams may be overkill for some young adults with no signs of vision problems.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overkill
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2025
Proving that there’s nothing MAGA love like overkill, there’s also whole lot of George Washington (including a historically daft 2010 Dodge Challenger ad) in the almost hangover inducing 40-second spot.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 9 Nov. 2025
Giving a sniper rifle explosive rounds that also cause electrical shocks seems like overkill, but shooting that gun never gets old.
—Jason Fanelli, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Annual exams may be overkill for some young adults with no signs of vision problems.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overkill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overkill
Noun
-
For one, the education proposal would, in effect, erase the state’s TABOR surplus, or the money collected over the revenue cap.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The bags come in a variety of colors and textures, and were sourced from surplus and sample leathers in Mulberry’s archives.—
Mary Wenthur,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The goal is not to eliminate necessities, but to remove the excess that clutters both your space and your mind.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Start with a dry face, massage it in to loosen things up, then apply water to emulsify, and reach for a washcloth to get rid of any excess.—
Jessie Quinn,
StyleCaster,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Forum stays in rotation to support event overflow.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
-
More than 100 community members crowded the district’s meeting room, while at least 100 others were seated in overflow rooms and an additional 50 individuals stood outside the building doors, which district staff locked because the space was at maximum capacity.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overkill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overkill. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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