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

‘Yellowstone’ creator Taylor Sheridan will move his overall deal to NBCUniversal in 2029 after his deal with Paramount concludes at the end of 2028.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026

Provinces have shown reluctance to lift their own restrictions, but Ouellet said that overall "the Canadian market has been reinvigorated and there is more domestic trade."

From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026

Members of Oldham Council held an extraordinary meeting on Thursday evening to resolve the stalemate of no political party having an overall majority.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Their size, spacing and overall form can vary depending on the animal's surroundings and feeding method.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

When he came back into the cabin, he took off his blanket-lined overall jacket and sat behind the stove for a long time.

From "Sounder" by William H. Armstrong

Bex is starting to look for overalls for them to wear and jokes that they might need shower caps for their hair.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 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

The following day Lyons was photographed, with his hands bound by cable ties, being led from police headquarters wearing bright orange overalls and a black face mask.

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026

Domingo arrives in the club’s lush courtyard garden sporting an olive-colored quilted Moncler padded shirt jacket over black bib Carhartt overalls and a black Valentino T-shirt, with a red neckerchief.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026

I stepped into overalls and returned to mine.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Related Words

• comprehensive
• global
• long-term