overwrite

American  

[oh-ver-rahyt] / ˌoʊ vərˈraɪt /

verb (used with object)

overwrote, overwritten, overwriting

1. to write in too elaborate, burdensome, diffuse, or prolix a style.

   He overwrites his essays to the point of absurdity.

2. to write in excess of the requirements, especially so as to defeat the original intention.

   That young playwright tends to overwrite her big scenes.

3. to write on or over; cover with writing.

   a flyleaf overwritten with a dedication.

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verb (used without object)

overwrote, overwritten, overwriting

1. to write too elaborately.

   The problem with so many young authors is that they tend to overwrite.

overwrite British  

/ ˌəʊvəˈraɪt /

verb

1. to write (something) in an excessively ornate or prolix style

2. to write too much about (someone or something)

3. to write on top of (other writing)

4. to record on a storage medium, such as a magnetic disk, thus destroying what was originally recorded there

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Etymology

Origin of overwrite

First recorded in 1690–1700; over- + write

Example Sentences

"What we've tried to do is respect those tunes and not overwrite them, the melodies stay central, but they're presented differently. That sense of respect is something people really seem to respond to," Coyle explained.

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

Depending on the rules you’ve set for yourself, this might be the moment for a small, intentional grocery shop: a handful of items meant to support what’s already in your kitchen, not overwrite it.

From Salon • Jan. 11, 2026

A charger sold in the UK by Project EV allowed researchers to overwrite its firmware.

From Scientific American • Jul. 13, 2023

But for all the cleverness of Christie’s designs, they don’t so much nourish Marianne Elliott’s production as overwrite it, filling its many dramatic holes with eye candy.

From New York Times • Dec. 30, 2021

Aymer had sought rather to overwrite the rude scrawl of Marley Sartin than to erase it.

From Christopher Hibbault, Roadmaker by Bryant, Marguerite