as in too
beyond a normal or acceptable limit
there's no need to be overly careful about the rough draft, since we'll polish it afterwards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 overly
For one thing, Overstreet seemed set on portraying Black history in a way that was neither overly dour nor entirely ignorant of past violence.
—
Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 4 Feb. 2025
Picking The Perfect Dessert My uncle doesn't like overly rich things, so anything draped in caramel or covered in candy pieces is out.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 2 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, those restrictions were sometimes overly onerous and ended up blocking legitimate messages.
—Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 2 Feb. 2025
At times, Trump has been criticized for having what some describe as an overly cozy relationship with Putin.
—ABC News, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for overly 
Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 4 Feb. 2025
Picking The Perfect Dessert My uncle doesn't like overly rich things, so anything draped in caramel or covered in candy pieces is out.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 2 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, those restrictions were sometimes overly onerous and ended up blocking legitimate messages.
—Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 2 Feb. 2025
At times, Trump has been criticized for having what some describe as an overly cozy relationship with Putin.
—ABC News, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for overly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overly
Adverb
-
Lamination is essentially a perm for the brows and this process is way too harsh for delicate brow hairs.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
5 Feb. 2025
-
Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year.—
Ryan Waniata,
WIRED,
5 Feb. 2025
Adverb
-
These requirements unduly interfere with state political processes.—
Adam A. Millsap,
Forbes,
13 Dec. 2024
-
And in Romania, courts cancelled a presidential election amid allegations that it had been unduly influenced by Russian money and disinformation.—
Paul Hockenos,
TIME,
9 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
Apple's testimony said: The IPA's existing powers are already extremely broad and pose a significant risk to the global availability of vitally important security technologies.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Read more: Climate Change Increases Home Runs Climate Central tracks not just average rising temperatures, but extremely hot days, which are defined as days on which the thermometer hits or exceeds 91°F.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
TIME,
7 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near overly
Cite this Entry
“Overly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overly. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share