overbroad
adjective
over·broad
ˌō-vər-ˈbrȯd 
: too widely applicable or applied : excessively broad
an overbroad interpretation of the statute
… a litigant challenging an overbroad law …—
Laurence H. Tribe
Laurence H. Tribe… was reckless in its assignment of unnecessary and overbroad surveillance powers.—The New York Times
The New York TimesBut he tends, at times, to draw overbroad generalizations from his personal experience.—Alexander Stille
Alexander StilleExamples of overbroad in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Cotton noted the 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Ashcroft vs. Free Speech Coalition that ruled key provisions of the Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996 were overbroad and violated the First Amendment.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
In the meantime, instead of taking an overbroad approach, the Trump administration ought to bring only specific charges of misconduct and address them directly.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
Second, lawyers should utilize international and regional human rights bodies to challenge overbroad legal provisions.
—Stephen Townley, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Willoughby's bill may be well-intended but is overbroad, Rodriguez said.
—Ray Stern, AZCentral.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for overbroad
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Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
In the meantime, instead of taking an overbroad approach, the Trump administration ought to bring only specific charges of misconduct and address them directly.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
Second, lawyers should utilize international and regional human rights bodies to challenge overbroad legal provisions.
—Stephen Townley, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Willoughby's bill may be well-intended but is overbroad, Rodriguez said.
—Ray Stern, AZCentral.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for overbroad
Cite this Entry
“Overbroad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overbroad. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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