overclock
verb
over·clock
ˌō-vər-ˈkläk 
overclocked; overclocking; overclocks
: to adjust the settings of (a computer) to increase its performance beyond the manufacturer's recommendations
In fact, cash-starved students typically can overclock PCs for free, revving up their systems' performance by a third or more—a speed advantage that might cost $500 extra if they'd bought a machine with a faster processor instead.—
Steve Ditlea
Steve DitleaKeeping tabs on your CPU temperatures is crucial when you're overclocking your PC's processor …—Brad Chacos
Brad ChacosExamples of overclock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This profile automatically tunes and overclocks memory to deliver better performance, resulting in an average 4% improvement in frames per second compared with standard EXPO profiles, AMD claims.
—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
10 June 2026
Of course, users can also overclock their Arc graphics card directly within the software.
—
Mark R. Weaver,
Newsweek,
4 Dec. 2024
Users often buy budget memory kits that are JEDEC-rated only, without XMP profiles, and this feature automatically overclocks them if possible.
—
Joe Shields,
PCMAG,
25 June 2024
The lab also plans to overclock the computers and see how much of a performance boost the coolant might provide without damaging the electronics, Martinez says.
—
Dina Genkina,
IEEE Spectrum,
13 June 2024
This doesn't mean that B650 won't be able to overclock—AMD confirmed to us that B650 chipsets will remain fully capable of overclocking, just like older B- and A-series chipsets.
—
Andrew Cunningham,
Ars Technica,
23 May 2022
The situation is especially borderline for those who want to overclock their shiny new Ampere cards.
—
Gordon Mah Ung,
PCWorld,
2 Sep. 2020
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
10 June 2026
Of course, users can also overclock their Arc graphics card directly within the software.
—
Mark R. Weaver,
Newsweek,
4 Dec. 2024
Users often buy budget memory kits that are JEDEC-rated only, without XMP profiles, and this feature automatically overclocks them if possible.
—
Joe Shields,
PCMAG,
25 June 2024
The lab also plans to overclock the computers and see how much of a performance boost the coolant might provide without damaging the electronics, Martinez says.
—
Dina Genkina,
IEEE Spectrum,
13 June 2024
This doesn't mean that B650 won't be able to overclock—AMD confirmed to us that B650 chipsets will remain fully capable of overclocking, just like older B- and A-series chipsets.
—
Andrew Cunningham,
Ars Technica,
23 May 2022
The situation is especially borderline for those who want to overclock their shiny new Ampere cards.
—
Gordon Mah Ung,
PCWorld,
2 Sep. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Overclock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overclock. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
