excessive
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of excessive
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English ( see excess, -ive); replacing Middle English excessif, from Middle French
Explanation
Excessive means beyond what is typical or normal. When something is excessive, there's way too much. Excessive refers to something that is extra — usually in a negative way. A 90-second drum solo in a two-minute song is excessive. Getting down on your knees and kissing someone's feet to thank them for a favor is excessive, unless they gave you their firstborn. Often this means something that exceeds the bounds of good taste, or is extravagant and inappropriately expensive. You should dress up for dinner, but wearing a ball gown to a diner is excessive.
Vocabulary lists containing excessive
The Bill of Rights
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Unit 2: Pivotal Words and Phrases
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List 5
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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.
Collagen normally gives tissue structure and strength, but excessive collagen can make a valve thicker and stiffer, changing its shape and movement.
From Science Daily • Jul. 12, 2026
Kourkafas said that he is watching for signs of excessive speculation in the AI space.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 7, 2026
Count us among those who think the red card was excessive; a yellow card would have sufficed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026
The report also highlighted challenges including a scarcity or resources, excessive paperwork and officers feeling "demotivated" by negative and overly risk-averse leadership cultures.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
“Do you know Bernard Marx?” she asked in a tone whose excessive casualness was evidently forced.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
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.
