overall

1 of 3

adverb

over·​all ˌō-vər-ˈȯl How to pronounce overall (audio)
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 powerTime
c
: with everyone or everything taken into account
was third overall in earnings
got 31 miles to the gallon overall

overall

2 of 3

noun

over·​all ˈō-vər-ˌȯl How to pronounce overall (audio)
1
a
overalls ˈō-vər-ˌȯlz How to pronounce overall (audio) plural, archaic : loose protective trousers worn over regular clothes
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

Illustration of overall

Illustration of overall
  • overall 1b

overall

3 of 3

adjective

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
Adverb
Property crimes overall increased 7.1% in 2022, with motor vehicle thefts showing the biggest increase at 10.9%. Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024 The county overall spent $120 million on the effort, none of which has yet been paid back by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024 Exploring a cenote is not just one of the best things to do in Tulum, but in Mexico overall. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2024 But while numbers are down overall, there are more Republican primary voters this year than in 2020. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Mar. 2024 McDaniels is in the 96th percentile, and Alexander-Walker is in the 98th percentile, ranked 10th overall. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 2 Mar. 2024 After the introduction of baggage fees, base airfares decreased by about $7, but the full price of travel (the base airfare plus the baggage fee) increased overall, a 2015 study found. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 2 Mar. 2024 And overall, the share of medical visits for respiratory illness – with symptoms of a fever, along with a cough or sore throat – has been above baseline since November. Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 19 Feb. 2024 The film has earned 11 Oscar nominations overall, including best picture. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 18 Feb. 2024
Noun
Lopez, joined by husband Ben Affleck, was spotted out and about in Los Angeles wearing none other than a pair of baggy, dark wash overalls. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 Savy King, the team’s first-round pick at No. 2 overall out of North Carolina, is transitioning from center back to left back, while veteran Caprice Dydasco is expected to play right back. Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 Black denim overalls are paired with a light-blue long-sleeve denim blouse, complemented by a denim cap. Jordyn Holman, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Wearing black overalls and a white T-shirt, the proud dad walks while pushing his son in his stroller, as Rocky's little leg peeks out from behind a blanket. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024 The market for anime overall appears to be growing from the numbers that Polygon has published, and everyone should read that survey. Nick Statt, The Verge, 26 Feb. 2024 Bill Self is 585-138 while at Kansas, 792-243 overall. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 24 Feb. 2024 Buffalo particularly struggles at home, in going 12-16-1 overall, and 1-5 in its past six. John Wawrow, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 Among the car’s racing achievements was a fourth overall in the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans, and outright victory in the 1964 Tour de France race. Howard Walker, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Tips for Better Sleep Getting healthy sleep is vital for your overall health. Sayaka Blickenderfer, Health, 16 Mar. 2024 Our overall top pick for the best gel nail polish is the OPI GelColor. Kate Watson, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 For each survey, the pollsters select people from the panel to make up a sample that’s representative of the overall population. David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 Owen Dennis will serve as creator and executive producer on the project under his overall deal with CBS Studios. Joe Otterson, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 Dubbed the Guter Rat, or Good Council, they were chosen through a statistical process run by research group Foresight and range in location, age, race, socioeconomic background and other demographic factors chosen in an effort to be representative of the overall Austrian population. Sophie Alexander, Fortune Europe, 15 Mar. 2024 While overall revenue was down at Fremantle, distribution revenue was stable at €331 million ($362 million), on par with 2022 figures. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 Stanford star Cameron Brink was named the Pac-12’s best defensive and overall player this season, Kiki Iriafen was the most improved and the legendary Tara VanDerveer was honored as the conference’s top coach. Michael Nowels, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 For his commitment to the craft of French cooking and the overall culinary arts, chef Paul Grosz has earned the Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Sylvia Rector Lifetime Achievement Award for Hospitality. Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1631, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overall was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near overall

Cite this Entry

“Overall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overall. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

overall

1 of 2 adverb
over·​all ˌō-və-ˈrȯl How to pronounce overall (audio)
: as a whole : generally
we find your work satisfactory, overall

overall

2 of 2 adjective
ˌō-və-ˈrȯl,
ˈō-və-ˌrȯl
1
: including everything
overall expenses
2
: viewed as a whole : general

More from Merriam-Webster on overall

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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