overstimulate

American  

[oh-ver-stim-yuh-layt] / ˌoʊ vərˈstɪm jəˌleɪt /

verb (used with object)

overstimulated, overstimulated

1. to stimulate (something) to an excessive or harmful degree.

2. Physiology. to cause (someone) to experience sensory overload.

3. Physiology. to cause (a gland, nerve, or other organ) to become overactive and produce an abnormal increase in its usual activity.

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verb (used without object)

overstimulated, overstimulated

1. Physiology. (especially of a gland or nerve) to become overactive and produce an abnormal increase in its usual activity.

Other Word Forms

• overstimulation
  noun
• overstimulative
  adjective
• overstimulatory
  adjective

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Explanation

Overstimulate means to overwhelm someone, or make something overactive. Feeling angry, frustrated, or upset in a noisy or brightly lit space might suggest that you're easy to overstimulate. Caffeine might overstimulate your brain and make it difficult to sleep, or loud music which is fun at first might eventually make you feel overwhelmed, or overstimulated. Stimulate means "to provide stimulus or input." Overstimulate means "to provide an overwhelming amount of input."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overstimulate overstimulated

In children, this process is already happening at a high rate, so retinol offers no real benefit and can overstimulate the skin.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

The pulsating music, giant inflatables tossed into the crowd and sudden blasts of fog can overstimulate kids.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2025

Making a room hypertransparent for people who are deaf may overstimulate people who are autistic.

From Scientific American ● Mar. 20, 2023

Yet the complex mixture of allergens, toxins, and proteins can destroy cells, spread pain, overstimulate nerves, and drive down blood pressure for those who are allergic.

From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2020

The dry practice of a single instrument and the simple drill of choral exercises will not be apt to overstimulate the currents of nerve force.

From Reminiscences, 1819-1899 by Julia Ward Howe

"It is very difficult for me, particularly when I'm exhausted and overstimulated."

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

I’m sure the scientific explanation involves ecstatic brain hormones, leading to an overstimulated smile reflex.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

But if they are overstimulated, they will have the opposite effect, creating stomach cramping, vomiting, nausea, irritability, and panic when exposed to even a small amount.

From Slate ● Jun. 13, 2026

"It's where the prefrontal cortex is overloaded, overstimulated, and you make all kinds of dangerous mistakes when you're multitasking behind the wheel," he said.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 29, 2024

I even find myself telling her about how humanity is off course, how we’re overconnected, overstimulated, undernourished.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

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