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
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Recent Examples of overuse
Derma rollers must be cleaned properly and not overused.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Erie, for example, is one of the communities currently threatening to cut off water access to residents who are overusing water at this time.
—Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
Dallas’ blue line has more depth in terms of numbers, but its top three producers have been overused.
—Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
Where younger adults tend to become isolated after overusing smartphones, older adults tend to turn to phones after cognitive declines or being isolated from family and friends.
—Emily Kwong, NPR, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overuse
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Erie, for example, is one of the communities currently threatening to cut off water access to residents who are overusing water at this time.
—Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
Dallas’ blue line has more depth in terms of numbers, but its top three producers have been overused.
—Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
Where younger adults tend to become isolated after overusing smartphones, older adults tend to turn to phones after cognitive declines or being isolated from family and friends.
—Emily Kwong, NPR, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overuse
Verb
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The pregnant body, unhidden Bolton argues that the pregnant body has either been ignored or stereotyped in art.—
Jocelyn Noveck,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
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Bolton argues that the pregnant body has either been ignored or stereotyped in art.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
Verb
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And overexposed to real estate.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Valuations for the funds last month dropped to their lowest since 2022 amid concerns that the lenders may be overexposed to software businesses under threat from AI disruption.—
Olivia Fishlow,
Bloomberg,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Burke is also recognized for helping popularize the gesture in professional sports.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
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Why the Shot Ritual Isn’t the Point The shot format Kardashian helped popularize has no distinct research supporting it as a method.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His versions were full-blooded, with lush strings and reasonably large orchestras — and, purists alleged — vulgarizing distortions.—
BostonGlobe.com,
BostonGlobe.com,
28 Oct. 2019
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Ever since his rise to power, Trump has served as a vulgarizing agent.—
Leon Neyfakh,
Slate Magazine,
2 June 2017
Verb
-
Repole is exhausting, but never exhausted.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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But within a few years, they were exhausted from constant touring with occasional bickering.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
However, homeowners often overdo it.—
Natasha Bazika,
Martha Stewart,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Herzog naturally plays up the enigma at hand with epic grandeur, occasionally overdoing it but usually hitting the mark.—
Eric Kohn,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Zoë Kravitz recently reminded me that these everyday looks don’t need to be boring.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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How to bold text on iPhone Texting doesn’t have to be boring.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overuse. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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