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
Relevance
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
So, if the idea of culture is overused, its importance tells the path to success — or failure.
—
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2026
Lastly, Abbas notes that, like any exfoliant, citric acid can cause dryness, irritation, or sensitivity if overused or used in very high concentrations.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 14 Jan. 2026
Gregg agrees that gray has been overused as a whole.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
Their answers, unsurprisingly, skew toward once-trending hues that now feel tired and overused.
—Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
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
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2026
Lastly, Abbas notes that, like any exfoliant, citric acid can cause dryness, irritation, or sensitivity if overused or used in very high concentrations.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 14 Jan. 2026
Gregg agrees that gray has been overused as a whole.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
Their answers, unsurprisingly, skew toward once-trending hues that now feel tired and overused.
—Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
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
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
-
Montoya Sanchez said the protest was organized internally by the families exhausted by the long detention and conditions that advocates say have included food with worms, constant illness and insufficient medical access.—
Valerie Gonzalez,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
-
With costs accelerating and incremental fixes exhausted, healthcare is approaching a breaking point.—
Robert Pearl,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Symptoms such as hot flashes and mood changes are well known, and often stereotyped, but experts worldwide want to highlight that women face a huge range of changes to their bodies during the menopause – and lack of awareness means many will start experiencing symptoms without knowing why.—
Sashikala VP,
CNN Money,
4 Dec. 2025
-
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
Verb
-
The rousing trailer finds Prince Adam bored to death hiding out at a generic corporate desk job on Earth when his precious sword is discovered, which sends him on a wild odyssey back to the land of Eternia and its talking tigers, spaceships, gothic castles, and magic swords.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Crews bored tunnels about 300 feet down into a suction chamber so six pumps, each with a 6-foot diameter, can pull water up from the 2-mile tunnel.—
Claire Osborn,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overused. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
