excessively

American

[ik-ses-iv-lee] / ɪkˈsɛs ɪv li /

adverb

in a way that goes beyond the usual, necessary, or proper limit or degree.

Applying an excessively thick layer of mulch limits oxygen in the soil and can suffocate the plants.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of excessively

excessive ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Finns may not be known for demonstrative cheerfulness, nor necessarily for being makers of excessively happy music.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026

Researchers engineered the compound to activate important signaling pathways in a new way that benefits muscle tissue without excessively stimulating the heart, a challenge that has historically limited the use of β2 agonists.

From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026

Picture an excessively mobile middle-class family that does almost nothing but drive, traveling from New York City to Los Angeles and back again each week.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

Mr. Phillips’s prose borders on the excessively academic, but he writes lucidly about his areas of expertise.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Captain Westfall was not excessively handsome, but she couldn’t help finding the ruggedness of his face and the clarity of his golden-brown eyes rather appealing.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023