overused

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 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 The word ‘intentional’ is overused, and the act of being intentional is underutilized. Bo Howard, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025 When pelvic floor muscles are being overused, used improperly, or are weak, your running gait may be less efficient and powerful, Rogers says. Jordan Smith, Outside, 11 Sep. 2025 Annabelle has been in so many movies now, to the point of being overused (the real doll has even been suspected of paranormal activity recently). Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 The redemption story is overused in sports, but Anisimova coming back from a double-bagel Wimbledon final defeat against Iga Świątek to beat the same player a couple of months later was extraordinary. The Athletic Tennis Staff, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 Just like credit scores today, which are, at best, meaningful heuristics but are grossly overused, the technology sometimes became a substitute for common sense. Brian Hamilton, Fortune, 1 Sep. 2025 Lighting is often overused at night. Harold Wallace, Space.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overused
Verb
  • In the end, the Guardians’ leverage arms were overexposed, and their bats ran out of magic.
    Zack Meisel, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Without shelter or sufficient support, this group is consistently overexposed to summer temperatures.
    Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • After all avenues have been exhausted for finding out who these people are, the chief medical examiner of Alexandroupoli calls the chief imam of Sidiro, which is a Muslim Greek village.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Lakshmi, who spent nearly 17 years hosting and executive-​producing Top Chef before stepping down in 2023, was, understandably, exhausted by the format.
    Khushbu Shah, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Oct. 2025
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
  • Similarly, older kids can get bored with products intended for younger children.
    Anja Webb, Parents, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The mathematician John Wallis, recounting the story in 1693, didn’t say whether Rupert wrote a proof or bored a hole through an actual cube.
    Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Overused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overused. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

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