over the top

1. Surpassing a goal or quota, as in The new salesmen are excellent; they were over the top within the first six months . [Mid-1900s]

2. Extreme, outrageous, as in This comedian's style goes over the top . [ Slang ; late 1900s]

3. Over the parapet of a military trench, as in The lieutenant sent fresh troops over the top . This usage dates from World War I.

Example Sentences

We prefer to wave away the warning signs; like The Interview, Mulholland Drive was comfortably downplayed as over-the-top satire.

From The Daily Beast

The Hollywood and over-the-top nuptials were a rare bit of good news for the world—and even for the striking workers of Venice.

From The Daily Beast

A giant, over-the-top mess of contradictions and giddiness and mistakes and something weirdly pure and divine.

From The Daily Beast

Well, this is over-the-top fake crying, so I was not actually crying, I have to admit.

From The Daily Beast

While the report could be mistaken for a clever if over-the-top parody clip, it is not.

From The Daily Beast

His excitement and dedication to the task were inspiring, pulling me into his over-the-top-and-damn-the-torpedoes mode of being.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• exaggerated
• outrageous

More About Over The Top

What does over the top mean?

The phrase over the top is most often used to describe something that is excessive or outrageous, as in The flashy supervillain planned crazy schemes that were over the top.  

Less commonly, over the top can refer to surpassing a goal, as in The promising rookies were over the top, scoring more shots than anyone expected. 

Over the top can also refer to soldiers going over a military trench or parapet, as in A new squad of reinforcements went over the top to help the front lines.

Example: The garish millionaire’s party was over the top with pop star performances, gold medals for everyone, and a huge fireworks display. 

Where does over the top come from?

The first records of over the top as a figurative phrase come from around 1935. The first records of the military usage come from around 1915 and refer literally to going over the tops of trenches that were common during World War I.

Today, the phrase over the top almost always refers to things that are considered excessive or outrageous. You are likely to see this phrase used quite a lot on social media and the internet, where sharing outrageous or extraordinary content is important for getting attention. In particular, over the top is used to describe people or things that are especially funny, flashy, or bizarre.

Did you know … ?

What are some synonyms for over the top?

• excessive
• exaggerated
• outrageous

What are some words that share a root or word element with over the top? 

• over 
• the 
• top

What are some words that often get used in discussing over the top?

• incredible
• performance
• ridiculously
• outfit

What are some words over the top may be commonly confused with?

• over the edge
• over the hill

How is over the top used in real life?

Over the top is often used to describe people, things, or behavior that is unbelievable or excessive.

Test audiences for George Clooney's historical drama 'Good Night, and Good Luck' complained that the actor playing Senator McCarthy was too over the top. They did not realise that section of the film was real archive footage and they were watching the actual Senator McCarthy.

— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) November 1, 2018

I liked Star Wars but the product placement was over the top. The Samsung Galaxy Lightsaber? And I don't remember the Falcon being a BMW.

— Hank Green (@hankgreen) December 20, 2015

In its third season, Star Trek discovery finally feels like Star Trek. It’s not the same but it is Star Trek for sure, a little over the top, a little swanky but yes it is.

— Sahil Mohan Gupta (@DigitallyBones) November 8, 2020

Try using over the top!

Is over the top used correctly in the following sentence?

Tim’s wife told him to make a small lunch, but he went over the top and made a four-course meal.