overtreat

verb

over·​treat ˌō-vər-ˈtrēt How to pronounce overtreat (audio)
overtreated; overtreating

transitive + intransitive

: to treat (something or someone) more than necessary or usual: such as
a
: to give or administer excessive medical treatment to (someone) or for (something)
overtreating older patients
overtreating low-grade prostate cancers
doctors who routinely overtreat with antibiotics
b
: to subject (something) to treatment or handling too often or for too long
overtreated hair
These wines lacked fruit concentration, which suggests they had been overtreated or filtered before bottling.James Suckling

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overtreat was in 1873

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Cite this Entry

“Overtreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overtreat. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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