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
Simple is best, and in the case of a Germany kit, that means plain, with no need to incorporate the colours of the nation’s flag or any overly intrusive trim.
—
Steve Madeley, New York Times, 29 June 2025
And that's the thread that got lost in last year's lackluster third season, where vibes and an overly artsy structure got in the way of just seeing this trio in a room together, preferably a kitchen.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Early on in season 2, which premiered on June 25, AJ Blount made waves for what others on the show perceived as her overly flirty behavior.
—Joelle Goldstein, People.com, 27 June 2025
They're not overly explained or turned into a seminar, which is a blessing these days.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for overly
Steve Madeley, New York Times, 29 June 2025
And that's the thread that got lost in last year's lackluster third season, where vibes and an overly artsy structure got in the way of just seeing this trio in a room together, preferably a kitchen.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Early on in season 2, which premiered on June 25, AJ Blount made waves for what others on the show perceived as her overly flirty behavior.
—Joelle Goldstein, People.com, 27 June 2025
They're not overly explained or turned into a seminar, which is a blessing these days.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for overly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overly
Adverb
-
Furthermore, the definition of disabled is often too narrow: more than one third of non-working adults classified as able-bodied by SNAP report having a disability that impedes their ability to work.—
Emily Eisner,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2025
-
People who rely on Medicaid access and funds for federal food aid would come out on the short end of the stick under the plan, too.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
29 June 2025
Adverb
-
Overemphasizing uncertainties can be used to raise doubt and unduly undermine confidence in robust findings.—
H. Christopher Frey,
The Conversation,
5 June 2025
-
That bill imposed a $10,000 ceiling, which the blue-state GOP lawmakers said unduly punished their area’s homeowners, who suddenly had a massively larger tax bill.—
Tobias Burns,
The Hill,
2 June 2025
Adverb
-
Who can’t relate to being the outsider in an extremely insular setting where people have their own rules, their own norms?—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
19 June 2025
-
Humor is an extremely useful and common coping strategy that can help some process such a heavy and traumatic event, according to Marni Amsellem, a licensed psychologist.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overly. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share