Definitions

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

  • adverb To an excessive degree.

from The Century Dictionary.

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

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

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

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

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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

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