over the top
Idioms-
Surpassing a goal or quota, as in The new salesmen are excellent; they were over the top within the first six months . [Mid-1900s]
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Over the parapet of a military trench, as in The lieutenant sent fresh troops over the top . This usage dates from World War I.
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Extreme, outrageous, as in This comedian's style goes over the top . [ Slang ; late 1900s]
Explanation
Use the adjective over-the-top to describe something that's excessive or exaggerated, like the over-the-top birthday party your uncle threw for his two year-old, complete with ponies, clowns, and a chocolate fountain. When something goes way beyond what's expected, it's over-the-top. Your sister's outfit can be described as over-the-top if she is wearing a sequinned dress, a feather boa, and a black silk top hat. The gift you give your fourth grade teacher is also over-the-top if it's two tickets to a Broadway play and a diamond ring. When something's over-the-top, it's a little outrageous.
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.
Shortly after CEO Dan Schulman took over the top post, he vowed in January that the company would stop being a “hunting ground” for wireless competitors looking to pick up new subscribers of their own.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the top.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
"If we hang back and stand still this will just run right over the top of us," he said in the speech at the University of Sydney.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
His lack of experience on the consumer side had made him a dark horse to take over the top job, as Dimon has long espoused the need for a successor to have worn many hats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
I put my coat over the top, and off we went.
From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate
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.
