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.
If there’s a flaw, Mr. Anderson occasionally indulges in excessive adjectives and metaphors, but that takes nothing away from his accomplishment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
When visceral fat becomes excessive, it can release inflammatory substances into the bloodstream that affect metabolism throughout the body.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
New York lawmakers mulled a bill Wednesday to regulate pedicabs, which swarm touristy areas like Times Square and Central Park and have drawn criticism for overcrowding, excessive noise and extortionate pricing.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
The RBI also signalled that it would use a mix of liquidity management tools to keep liquidity in check, while continuing to curb excessive volatility in the rupee.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 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.
