overdress
Americanverb (used with or without object)
-
to dress with too much display, finery, or formality.
He certainly overdressed for the occasion.
-
to put excessive clothing on.
She tends to overdress her children.
noun
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have overdressedperfect
-
has overdressedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have been overdressingperfect progressive
-
has been overdressingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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am overdressingprogressive 1st person singular
-
is overdressingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
overdressingparticiple
-
overdressessingular 3rd person
-
are overdressingprogressive
Past
-
had overdressedperfect
-
were overdressingprogressive plural
-
had been overdressingperfect progressive
-
overdressedsimple
-
was overdressingprogressive singular
-
overdressedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of overdress
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.
“It’s just flagrantly obnoxious to overdress in a workplace situation, especially when you’re a junior member,” said Gunn, best known for being a clear-eyed mentor on the fashion-design competition show “Project Runway.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026
“The sweetness means it can take an acid nicely,” notes the chef, who instructs his staff to slightly overdress Little Gems because he finds the “juiciness” of the leaves slightly dilutes the dressing.
From Washington Post • Mar. 18, 2022
Still, it’s hard to resist the temptation to overdress.
From Slate • Oct. 24, 2020
“She is very good-looking, of course, but she tends to overdress for the occasion.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2019
Jean Merritt wore her favorite rose color, a dress of satin with an overdress of tulle.
From The Ranch Girls and Their Great Adventure by Vandercook, Margaret
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.
