overuse

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈyüz How to pronounce overuse (audio)
Definition of overusenext
as in to stereotype
to use so much as to make less appealing she had overused that joke to the point where it was eliciting groans and not guffaws

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 overuse Don’t Overdo the Booze While a preflight or in-flight cocktail might sound like a good idea to calm jangled nerves, both experts caution against overusing alcohol to manage anxiety in the air. — Jill Robbins, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026 The Mets need to be careful about potentially overusing him and their other high-leverage relievers such as lefty Brooks Raley and right-hander Luke Weaver. — Will Sammon, New York Times, 3 June 2026 Baking soda does not make tomatoes sweeter and can harm plants if overused. — Cori Sears, The Spruce, 30 May 2026 While most treatments are safe, ProPublica’s investigation found that there has been widespread concern among medical experts that some doctors are overusing procedures on patients who may not need them. — Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for overuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overuse
  1. stereotype
  2. overexpose
  3. popularize
  4. vulgarize
  5. exhaust
  6. overdo
  7. bore
Verb
  • Along with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, the foundation also partners with schools and community institutions to educate the challenging effects of stereotyping, unconscious bias, and representation imbalance of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and persons with disabilities.
    — Carole Horst, Variety, 21 June 2026
  • Brousson jokingly stereotyped the Waffle House staffers as having active warrants, picking their nose with the spatulas and smoking cigarettes while battling third-degree grease burns.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 June 2026
Definition of stereotype
Verb
  • At 3x, the Razr+'s image processing tried to save the shot by overexposing the dish, but unfortunately, my dinner just looks like an inedible oil painting with a glossy sheen.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 29 June 2026
  • They can get dehydrated and overexposed to the sun and are unable to cool down.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 25 June 2026
Definition of overexpose
Verb
  • That idea is fairly commonplace now—but that’s because Perel helped popularize it.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • Columbia University mathematician Joan Birman helped to popularize the question about 60 years ago.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
Definition of popularize
Verb
  • His versions were full-blooded, with lush strings and reasonably large orchestras — and, purists alleged — vulgarizing distortions.
    — BostonGlobe.com, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Oct. 2019
Definition of vulgarize
Verb
  • Leaders who continually forge themselves become harder to exhaust, unsettle, or outmaneuver.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • After graduating with a degree in business economics, Pichardo learned that NCAA athletes can compete in a different sport after exhausting their initial four years of eligibility.
    — Marisa Ingemi, Mercury News, 27 July 2026
Definition of exhaust
Verb
  • Signs of Fertilizer Problems Fertilizer can be easy to overdo, building up to toxic levels in the soil.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
  • There aren’t many downsides to eating fruit, although, as with anything, try not to overdo it.
    — Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 13 July 2026
Definition of overdo
Verb
  • The Senators are trying to reach a compromise with the Big Ten and SEC on about 270 different passages in the bill, most of which would bore you to tears.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • The best moment of this episode comes near the end, when Amanda Cronin, bored by a ridiculous argument, decides to reapply her lip gloss using her knife as a mirror.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 29 July 2026
Definition of bore

Browse Nearby Words

overturns
overuse
overused
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Cite this Entry

“Overuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overuse. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of overuse for Spanish Speakers

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