overused

Definition of overusednext
past tense of overuse
as in popularized
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 overused Their answers, unsurprisingly, skew toward once-trending hues that now feel tired and overused. Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026 Boucle upholstery is overused—its once-luxe look now feels more gimmicky than chic. Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 31 Dec. 2025 Leave overused, cool neutrals in 2025 and take advice from interior designer Marianne Jones and embrace warm, earthy, and saturated color palettes. Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Dec. 2025 More coaching, less managing Sporting analogies are often overused in business as the two worlds don’t perfectly align, yet the evolution of leadership in elite football offers useful lessons. Justin Hotard, Fortune, 7 Dec. 2025 Kapur recalled how early digital workflows and early surround-sound mixes were initially overused before the industry learned restraint. Udita Jhunjhunwala, Variety, 23 Nov. 2025 The funds allow staff to investigate neglect and abuse taking place in institutional settings, whether restraints and seclusion are being overused, and whether deaths within these facilities are the result of medical neglect. Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 13 Nov. 2025 Shea butter and cocoa butter are thick and great ingredients that generally can’t be overused. Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 25 Oct. 2025 However, both can cause side effects if overused. Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overused
Verb
  • Only a few years after her 21st birthday extravaganza, Paris Hilton had been overexposed.
    Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 29 Dec. 2025
  • Film, even if it’s overexposed, underexposed, or correctly exposed, has a unique quality to it.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Wilson’s departure leaves Mizzou without both of its starting edge rushers from last season, as Zion Young exhausted his eligibility.
    Zach Sweet, Kansas City Star, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Back and forth, back and forth, until both are exhausted.
    Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Among many challenges, the next president of the church will navigate how to lead a global church from its American headquarters – a church that continues to be misunderstood and stereotyped, sometimes to the point of violence.
    Brittany Romanello, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Mormons have also sometimes been falsely stereotyped as being polygamists because some of their early founders and members were, but the group banned polygamy in 1890.
    Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • These days, the aviary houses parakeets that are mostly rejects from friends whose kids got bored with them.
    Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
  • Skiing and Snowboarding Winter Park Resort is a true family-friendly resort with a great ski school and learning area, but advanced skiers won’t be bored.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Overused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overused. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

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