OVER-THE-TOP Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

over-the-top

adjective

as in excessive

going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount The writing was great, but some of the acting was over-the-top.

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of over-the-top Venus in Cancer is here to remind you that love isn’t always about the grand, over-the-top gestures. —

Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026 Colorful, creamy, sometimes over-the-top concoctions called dirty soda became a national phenomenon a few years back, thanks to a loyal following on #MomTok and fans of Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. —

Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 18 May 2026 The episode’s over-the-top scenes quickly sparked backlash online, where frustrated viewers questioned the season’s direction and piled on criticism of the HBO drama. —

Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026 The silhouette itself was intentionally over-the-top. —

Lauren Fisher, Footwear News, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for over-the-top

Recent Examples of Synonyms for over-the-top

Adjective

State lawmakers can’t stop federal agents from wearing masks, for instance, so Democrats brought a bill requiring local law enforcement officers to identify themselves — and to intervene if police see a federal agent using excessive force.

— Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
The two highest-ranking Republicans in the state legislature called Wednesday for former New Britain mayor Erin Stewart to consider dropping out of the governor’s race over reported excessive spending on the city’s credit card.

— Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026