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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of overly
Castaneda, Marshall writes, made an end run around the department’s Yaqui expert, with the other committee members overly impressed by his au courant melange of fieldwork and gauzy ruminations, despite the fact that his timelines and grasp of mycology didn’t make sense.
—
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
That’s the deficiency side of integrity—where authenticity gives way to fakery, consistency erodes into unpredictability, and transparency slips into manipulation…But swing too far in the other direction, and the skyscraper becomes overly rigid—too stiff to sway with the wind.
—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
There is something stereotypically masculine about the kind of chest-pumping, overly stylish translations of your predecessors.
—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 June 2026
Reduces Strain on Your HVAC System Keeping your AC on, even at a higher temperature setting, means that your HVAC system doesn't need to play catch-up in an overly hot house.
—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overly
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
That’s the deficiency side of integrity—where authenticity gives way to fakery, consistency erodes into unpredictability, and transparency slips into manipulation…But swing too far in the other direction, and the skyscraper becomes overly rigid—too stiff to sway with the wind.
—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
There is something stereotypically masculine about the kind of chest-pumping, overly stylish translations of your predecessors.
—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 June 2026
Reduces Strain on Your HVAC System Keeping your AC on, even at a higher temperature setting, means that your HVAC system doesn't need to play catch-up in an overly hot house.
—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overly
Adverb
-
So too did a record 400-million-barrel release from the International Energy Agency’s strategic petroleum reserves – a supply boost that’s still underway.
-
The man who made a reputation by doing the impossible with African Cup of Nation wins had too little time to find the magic with Tunisia.
Adverb
-
Doing glute exercises excessively and especially improperly can lead to injury.
-
The renter’s credit is part of a larger but stalled push to rebalance Connecticut’s upside-down tax system, one the state’s own analysts conclude excessively burdens the poor and middle class.
Adverb
-
The legal scholars watching this expect the eventual fights to turn on old questions, whether a state law unduly burdens interstate commerce, whether federal rules quietly override it.
-
Cynics think that Manchesterism is a mirage and that Burnham is unduly hogging the credit for the regeneration of the city’s downtown.
Adverb
-
Now, multiple residents are left worried about what's to come next week with extremely hot temperatures in the forecast.
-
Despite being the fourth largest economy in the world — the home of Hollywood and Silicon Valley — California’s budget is extremely dependent on the state’s most prosperous residents.
Cite this Entry
“Overly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overly. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
