Illustration of overall
- overall 1b
over·all
ˌō-vər-ˈȯl 
1
: all over sense 1
the pattern used overall
2
: from one end to the other
600 feet long overall
3
a
: in view of all the circumstances or conditions
overall, the sale was a success
b
: as a whole : generally
doesn't do as well overall
overall and in most of its detail the film has remarkable power—
Time
Time
c
: with everyone or everything taken into account
was third overall in earnings
got 31 miles to the gallon overall
over·all
ˈō-vər-ˌȯl
1
a
b
usually overalls
: trousers of strong material usually with a bib and shoulder straps
2
chiefly British
: a loose-fitting protective smock worn over regular clothing
over·all
ˌō-vər-ˈȯl
ˈō-vər-ˌȯl
ˈō-vər-ˌȯl
1
: including everything
2
: viewed as a whole : general
Examples of overall in a Sentence
Adverb
He made a few mistakes but did well overall.
Overall, the project was successful.
Adjective
your overall score after two rounds
His mistake didn't change my overall impression of him.
Your overall health is sound.
She likes the overall quality of the product.
The scratch didn't affect the car's overall appearance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2025
Boston took the top spot overall, thanks to its championship teams, iconic stadiums, and passionate fan base.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 21 Nov. 2025
Kate Perez, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025
Green Bay was already 10-3 at the time and beat each of them again to finish 6-0 in the division and 13-3 overall.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
Dmitry Martirosov, Arkansas Online, 14 Nov. 2025
Although the trend borrows heavily from Ralph Lauren's holiday collections and overall aesthetic, the phrase Ralph Lauren Christmas really cemented itself online in late 2025.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overall
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Adverb
The ripple effects of other tariffs are another reason food inflation overall will not abate immediately with these tariff rollbacks.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2025
Boston took the top spot overall, thanks to its championship teams, iconic stadiums, and passionate fan base.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 21 Nov. 2025
Noun
Graduate programs are limited to $100,000 overall.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025
Green Bay was already 10-3 at the time and beat each of them again to finish 6-0 in the division and 13-3 overall.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Dennis McKelvey, a parent of a junior at Hall, said she was frustrated with the overall lack of communication from the district.
—Dmitry Martirosov, Arkansas Online, 14 Nov. 2025
Although the trend borrows heavily from Ralph Lauren's holiday collections and overall aesthetic, the phrase Ralph Lauren Christmas really cemented itself online in late 2025.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overall
Cite this Entry
“Overall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overall. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overall
1 of 2 adverb
over·all
ˌō-və-ˈrȯl
: as a whole : generally
we find your work satisfactory, overall
overall
2 of 2 adjectiveˌō-və-ˈrȯl,
ˈō-və-ˌrȯl
1
: including everything
overall expenses
2
: viewed as a whole : general
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