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

Derived 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.

Researchers identified evidence that a protein and sugar-tagging pathway is excessively active in Alzheimer's disease.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

Officials also pledged to investigate illegal foreign-exchange transactions by exporters and importers through lead-and-lag practices—such as accelerating import payments or excessively delaying export receipts—activities the government has vowed to crack down on.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

It must become a philosophy that corrodes collective faith, collective beliefs, and becomes excessively individualistic.

From Slate • May 16, 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

They weren’t gawking at me, unlike most of the other students, so it was safe to stare at them without fear of meeting an excessively interested pair of eyes.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

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