over the top
Idioms-
Surpassing a goal or quota, as in The new salesmen are excellent; they were over the top within the first six months . [Mid-1900s]
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Over the parapet of a military trench, as in The lieutenant sent fresh troops over the top . This usage dates from World War I.
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Extreme, outrageous, as in This comedian's style goes over the top . [ Slang ; late 1900s]
Explanation
Use the adjective over-the-top to describe something that's excessive or exaggerated, like the over-the-top birthday party your uncle threw for his two year-old, complete with ponies, clowns, and a chocolate fountain. When something goes way beyond what's expected, it's over-the-top. Your sister's outfit can be described as over-the-top if she is wearing a sequinned dress, a feather boa, and a black silk top hat. The gift you give your fourth grade teacher is also over-the-top if it's two tickets to a Broadway play and a diamond ring. When something's over-the-top, it's a little outrageous.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"And if a water vole went over the top of that, that would be the end of that water vole."
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Drizzle the melted butter over the top, then sprinkle generously with Turbinado sugar and a pinch of flaky salt.
From Salon • May 25, 2026
The effort comes after US forces used unspecified "exquisite technology" to clear a pathway through the strait "over the last couple of weeks" and then "put this umbrella over the top of it," he said.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
When we did that video, it felt too over the top, “Oh, Big Brother is gonna come for you.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
Bob helped them over the top of another ridge.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
