overzealous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of overzealous
Explanation
Overzealous describes someone who gets too excited about something, like your mom, the overzealous collector of cute kitten figurines that now fill every table and shelf in the house. If you're overzealous about something, you've gone too far, and you're probably starting to scare people. Parents who are overzealous about keeping their kids safe may not allow them out of the house — ever. If you are overzealous about conserving water, you might shower a little too infrequently, or scold people for washing their cars. Most people understand that you mean well, and that's why you are so intense.
Vocabulary lists containing overzealous
The Book Thief
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This Week in Pop Culture: January 26 - February 1, 2019
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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.
The Times and the Pentagon Press Association have said the government’s moves are overzealous and retaliatory.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
They’re overzealous because the law is very clear that oversight of these markets is the exclusive province of the federal government.
From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026
And we can thank the overzealous adoption of A.I. for that.
From Slate • Oct. 17, 2025
In the tribal world of K-Pop, such cases are surprisingly common, as overzealous fans attempt to trash their rivals.
From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025
Witch hysteria was spurred by overzealous clerics and simple factors such as envy and ill will among neighbors, but the trials were very real.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
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.
