as in stereotyping
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
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Recent Examples of overusing
The fastest ways to lose that hotel feel include overusing plug-ins, which read as synthetic, and mixing too many competing fragrances at once.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026
Don’t Overdo the Booze While a preflight or in-flight cocktail might sound like a good idea to calm jangled nerves, both experts caution against overusing alcohol to manage anxiety in the air.
—Jill Robbins, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026
The Mets need to be careful about potentially overusing him and their other high-leverage relievers such as lefty Brooks Raley and right-hander Luke Weaver.
—Will Sammon, New York Times, 3 June 2026
While most treatments are safe, ProPublica’s investigation found that there has been widespread concern among medical experts that some doctors are overusing procedures on patients who may not need them.
—Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 29 May 2026
Common mistakes like skipping morning water, overusing caffeine, or ignoring electrolytes can impact hydration.
—Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 22 May 2026
De-escalate the Crisis Narrative The word crisis is splashed across every headline regarding mental health, but Redding warns that overusing this term can actually hinder our ability to help.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 17 May 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
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
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026
Don’t Overdo the Booze While a preflight or in-flight cocktail might sound like a good idea to calm jangled nerves, both experts caution against overusing alcohol to manage anxiety in the air.
—Jill Robbins, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026
The Mets need to be careful about potentially overusing him and their other high-leverage relievers such as lefty Brooks Raley and right-hander Luke Weaver.
—Will Sammon, New York Times, 3 June 2026
While most treatments are safe, ProPublica’s investigation found that there has been widespread concern among medical experts that some doctors are overusing procedures on patients who may not need them.
—Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 29 May 2026
Common mistakes like skipping morning water, overusing caffeine, or ignoring electrolytes can impact hydration.
—Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 22 May 2026
De-escalate the Crisis Narrative The word crisis is splashed across every headline regarding mental health, but Redding warns that overusing this term can actually hinder our ability to help.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 17 May 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overusing
Verb
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In crime coverage, journalists should create equity by being cognizant of correcting any coverage trends that privilege white groups over people of color, especially stereotyping Black and Latino men as violent.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 May 2026
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Jordan also describes stereotyping on set, recalling producers reducing her to racial tropes, while adding that Black contestants who approached Barker would sometimes be met with visible discomfort.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Many people damage their nails by picking at their cuticles, for example, or drying them out by overexposing them to water.—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2026
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That range can provide diversification benefits without overexposing retirees to price swings that don't generate dividends or interest.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And Carys is certainly embracing shopping her mom's previous red carpet picks — even to the point of possibly overdoing it.—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
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While a thin layer can help support the skin barrier, overdoing thick zinc creams daily may feel too heavy for skin types and ironically, could clog pores in oily skin.—
Tatiana Dias,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The Spurs seemed emotionally spent after exhausting all of their energy in unseating the defending champions.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Trapped by high interest rates and the cumulative weight of inflation, the bottom 80 percent of earners are aggressively pulling back on discretionary goods, exhausting credit options and downgrading to private-label and discount brands.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
10 June 2026
Verb
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And anyone who wants something subtle but far from boring.—
Alexandra Malmed,
InStyle,
9 June 2026
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Fiedler is capable of aggravating us but not of boring us.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overusing. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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