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Showing results for excessive. Search instead for Excessive-High.
Synonyms

excessive

American  
[ik-ses-iv] / ɪkˈsɛs ɪv /

adjective

  1. going beyond the usual, necessary, or proper limit or degree; characterized by excess.

    excessive charges; excessive criticism.
    Synonyms:
    unreasonable, exorbitant, inordinate, extravagant, immoderate
    Antonyms:
    reasonable
excessive British  
/ ɪkˈsɛsɪv /

adjective

  1. exceeding the normal or permitted extents or limits; immoderate; inordinate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • excessively adverb
  • excessiveness noun
  • nonexcessive adjective
  • nonexcessiveness noun
  • quasi-excessive adjective
  • unexcessive adjective

Etymology

Origin of excessive

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English ( excess, -ive ); replacing Middle English excessif, from Middle French

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.

BlueCruise also permitted excessive speeding in a work zone, which was likely to blame in the Pennsylvania incident, they said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

“While these are precisely the students who will now be protected from excessive federal loans they could not repay, further steps should be considered to facilitate their access to advanced degrees.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Dubbed "China risk" by some commentators, countries fear state-led espionage and excessive Chinese domination of their tech sectors.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Cytokines are signaling molecules that help coordinate immune activity and prevent excessive reactions that could lead to autoimmune disease.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

One objection I do have to identification numbers is their excessive length.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

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.