overall

American  

[oh-ver-awl, oh-ver-awl] / ˈoʊ vərˈɔl, ˈoʊ vərˌɔl /

adverb

1. from one extreme limit of a thing to the other.

   the overall length of the bridge.

2. covering or including everything.

   an overall impression;

   to view something overall.

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noun

• overalls
  plural

1. (used with a plural verb) overalls,

   1. loose, sturdy trousers, usually with a bib or biblike piece to which shoulder straps are attached, originally worn over other trousers to protect them, as by factory workers or farmers.

   2. long waterproof leggings.

2. British. a smock or loose-fitting housedress.

overall British  

adjective

1. from one end to the other

2. including or covering everything

   the overall cost

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adverb

1. in general; on the whole

noun

1. a protective work garment usually worn over ordinary clothes

2. (plural) hard-wearing work trousers with a bib and shoulder straps or jacket attached

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• overalls
  plural

Etymology

Origin of overall

First recorded before 1000; Middle English overal (adverb), Old English ofer eall; see over ( def. ), all ( def. )

Explanation

The overall meaning of the word overall is that it covers all the parts of something. For example, the individual parts don't matter as much as the overall value. The word overall is the sum of its parts. Take the word over, meaning "above," and add it to the word all, meaning "everything" and you get overall, meaning "above everything". But remember, it's an adjective as in the overall impression of the music, the overall effect of the new tax code, the overall direction (as opposed to individual little changes.) Remember that overalls, the clothes you wore as a kid, went "over all" your other clothes.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overall overalls

Together, the GLC and E-Class accounted for almost two-thirds of Mercedes-Benz Cars sales in China and remained more resilient than the overall market, it added.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Since May, spot prices paid for transporting goods have been increasing, despite the overall volume of shipments at the ports remaining flat.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

But industrial activity overall "remains subdued", said the economy ministry said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

Seeing young adults trying to afford housing turned his focus to the high cost of rent, a problem that impacted their overall financial well-being.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

I'd gotten the overall picture, but natural or not, there was no way I was going to take responsibility for this one.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

You’d need the equivalent of those parade attendants in overalls who run along behind the horses with shovels.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

In Kanazawa, workers dressed in full-body overalls haul large blocks of ice across the factory floor, before starting on the delicate work of carving perfect spheres, cubes and rectangular blocks with cut corners.

From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026

Another man was dressed in overalls in star-spangled colors while one couple wore large and seemingly uncomfortable bald eagle heads, topped by red, white and blue cloth stovepipe hats.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

One morning in July 1992, Raynella said, she found him dead in their cattle corral, a hoofprint on the chest of his overalls, apparently knocked down and trampled as he fed the herd.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

He yanked his overalls on over his nightclothes and stuck his feet in his shoes.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

Related Words

• comprehensive
• global
• long-term