as in too
beyond a normal or acceptable limit
there's no need to be overly careful about the rough draft, since we'll polish it afterwards
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Recent Examples of overly
Watering from the bottom helps prevent overly wet soil.
—
Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 20 Apr. 2026
While oversight is important, overly complex approval chains can create unnecessary delays.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Abramović brings her own perspective, including a crucial use of humour, which prevents the work from becoming overly solemn or sensationalised.
—George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
However, being overly blunt could emotionally turn them off.
—Nancy Pulciano, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overly
Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 20 Apr. 2026
While oversight is important, overly complex approval chains can create unnecessary delays.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Abramović brings her own perspective, including a crucial use of humour, which prevents the work from becoming overly solemn or sensationalised.
—George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
However, being overly blunt could emotionally turn them off.
—Nancy Pulciano, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overly
Adverb
-
One of the worst things that can happen to a young and evidently talented author is to be lauded too enthusiastically too soon.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Liverpool, however, have been interested in the past and could present competition for his signature, so too major clubs in Europe.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
While there is a respectable moral case to be made for some form of reparations, Tubbs appears to be excessively fixated on policy ideas that would bankrupt our state if actually implemented.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Winkler plays the town’s mayor, an excessively charming, morally questionable fellow who scrambles the town’s cops and residents to keep Ulysses from fouling everything up.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
When one of us is unduly harmed, we are all inevitably diminished.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
-
This is not to say that the artist herself, and her band, were as quiet as church mice, or that there was anything unduly precious about the performance.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
6 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
A lot of these fishing tournaments are won by these younger anglers that really haven’t studied the body of water, don’t know it like the older fishermen, but are still extremely successful with the new technology.—
Mike McFeely,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The daily afternoon tea in Horizons is also extremely pleasant (don’t skip on the chicken sandwiches, which were more my beat than the scones and jam).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overly. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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