Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb To an excessive degree.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Superficially.
  • Excessively; too much; too: used independently instead of the usual over- in composition: as, not overly good; overly particular.
  • Outside: superficial; negligent; inattentive; casual.
  • Excessive; too much.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Archaic Careless; negligent; inattentive; superfical; not thorough.
  • adjective rare Excessive; too much.
  • adverb Archaic In an overly manner.
  • adverb Excessively.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb To an excessive degree.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word overly.

Examples

  • Numerous insurers have obtained permission from home-state regulators to deviate from what they term overly conservative rules.

    Fitch Cuts Ratings on Principal, Genworth Life Insurance Units 2009

  • Mr. Christie repeatedly uses the example of his own health-care package, which he calls overly generous, as an example of why public employees need to pay more for their health care.

    Christie Attacks Double Dipping Lisa Fleisher 2011

  • Piyush Tiwari, who works in finance for American Express, escaped what he called his overly air-conditioned office for a 15-minute break.

    Record-High Heat Scorches Region Erica Orden 2011

  • The PAC also criticized the bowls for what it called overly generous perks, citing the $750,000 in travel expenses for the Orange Bowl in 2009 and the Sugar Bowl's $200,000 in "gifts and bonuses" in 2008; and "frivolous" use of funds, such as the Orange Bowl spending more than $1 million in entertaining and catering in 2009, and the Fiesta Bowl shelling out nearly $400,000 for its "Fiesta Frolic" golf retreat in 2009.

    Do College Football Bowl Games Violate Their Tax-Exempt Status? 2010

  • The PAC also criticized the bowls for what it called overly generous perks, citing the $750,000 in travel expenses for the Orange Bowl in 2009 and the Sugar Bowl's $200,000 in "gifts and bonuses" in 2008; and "frivolous" use of funds, such as the Orange Bowl spending more than $1 million in entertaining and catering in 2009, and the Fiesta Bowl shelling out nearly $400,000 for its "Fiesta Frolic" golf retreat in 2009.

    Do College Football Bowl Games Violate Their Tax-Exempt Status? 2010

  • The PAC also criticized the bowls for what it called overly generous perks, citing the $750,000 in travel expenses for the Orange Bowl in 2009 and the Sugar Bowl's $200,000 in "gifts and bonuses" in 2008; and "frivolous" use of funds, such as the Orange Bowl spending more than $1 million in entertaining and catering in 2009, and the Fiesta Bowl shelling out nearly $400,000 for its "Fiesta Frolic" golf retreat in 2009.

    Do College Football Bowl Games Violate Their Tax-Exempt Status? 2010

  • The PAC also criticized the bowls for what it called overly generous perks, citing the $750,000 in travel expenses for the Orange Bowl in 2009 and the Sugar Bowl's $200,000 in "gifts and bonuses" in 2008; and "frivolous" use of funds, such as the Orange Bowl spending more than $1 million in entertaining and catering in 2009, and the Fiesta Bowl shelling out nearly $400,000 for its "Fiesta Frolic" golf retreat in 2009.

    Do College Football Bowl Games Violate Their Tax-Exempt Status? 2010

  • The PAC also criticized the bowls for what it called overly generous perks, citing the $750,000 in travel expenses for the Orange Bowl in 2009 and the Sugar Bowl's $200,000 in "gifts and bonuses" in 2008; and "frivolous" use of funds, such as the Orange Bowl spending more than $1 million in entertaining and catering in 2009, and the Fiesta Bowl shelling out nearly $400,000 for its "Fiesta Frolic" golf retreat in 2009.

    Do College Football Bowl Games Violate Their Tax-Exempt Status? 2010

  • The PAC also criticized the bowls for what it called overly generous perks, citing the $750,000 in travel expenses for the Orange Bowl in 2009 and the Sugar Bowl's $200,000 in "gifts and bonuses" in 2008; and "frivolous" use of funds, such as the Orange Bowl spending more than $1 million in entertaining and catering in 2009, and the Fiesta Bowl shelling out nearly $400,000 for its "Fiesta Frolic" golf retreat in 2009.

    Do College Football Bowl Games Violate Their Tax-Exempt Status? 2010

  • Telstra executives have been critical of what they described as overly onerous government regulations.

    Telstra Faces Criticism From Major Investor 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.