overused

verb

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 Although the word ‘hero’ is greatly overused in today’s society, in my mind, Calvin Duncan is a hero in the truest sense of that word. — Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026 Meanwhile, existing antibiotics have been overused, and resistance has mounted to critical levels. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026 Many detox teas contain laxatives like senna, which can cause side effects like diarrhea, cramping, and bloating if overused. — Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 3 June 2026 Baking soda does not make tomatoes sweeter and can harm plants if overused. — Cori Sears, The Spruce, 30 May 2026 But in science, they have been especially overused. — Clarissa Brincat, Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026 Turning Up the Heat Too High Too Fast High heat has its place, but it is often overused. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026 Rights groups warn the measure, introduced in March 2025, is now being overused by authorities. — ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026 Derma rollers must be cleaned properly and not overused. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overused
  1. overexposed
  2. exhausted
  3. stereotyped
  4. bored
Verb
  • They can get dehydrated and overexposed to the sun and are unable to cool down.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 25 June 2026
  • The background appears splotchy and overexposed, but to my dismay, the selfie camera did not miss my messy eyebrows or the minor imperfections on my skin.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 2 June 2026
Definition of overexposed
Verb
  • In their initial contract with the district, employees who exhausted their regular sick leave were given a five-month differential pay period where they were paid at the rate of a substitute.
    — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
  • About half of Florida's 242 death row inmates have exhausted their appeals and could see their death warrant issued at any time.
    — CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Definition of exhausted
Verb
  • 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
  • When younger generations don’t have interactions or relationships with older adults having vibrant lives, later chapters of life can be stereotyped as a time of pain, difficulty and loss, Emery-Tiburcio said.
    — Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
Definition of stereotyped
Verb
  • Perhaps Klassen got bored with his signature style and removed the eyes from the clock and table and boots in this book.
    — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 7 July 2026
  • Barbara Groom was in her late 30s, working as a successful pharmacist and bored out of her mind.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of bored

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Cite this Entry

“Overused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overused. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of overused for Spanish Speakers

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