Synonyms

overdo

American

[oh-ver-doo] / ˌoʊ vərˈdu /

verb (used with object)

overdid, overdone, overdoing

to do to excess; overindulge in.

to overdo dieting.
to carry to excess or beyond the proper limit.

He puts on so much charm that he overdoes it.
to overact (a part); exaggerate.
to overtax the strength of; fatigue; exhaust.
to cook too much or too long; overcook.

Don't overdo the hamburgers.

verb (used without object)

overdid, overdone, overdoing

to do too much; go to an extreme.

Exercise is good but you mustn't overdo.

overdo British

/ ˌəʊvəˈduː /

verb

to take or carry too far; do to excess
to exaggerate, overelaborate, or overplay
to cook or bake too long
to overtax one's strength, capacity, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

overdoer noun

Etymology

Origin of overdo

before 1000; Middle English overdon, Old English oferdōn. See over-, do ¹

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.

Tina says there's also a fine line between refreshing and overdoing it as "very aggressive ice exposure can irritate sensitive skin or trigger rosacea, so keep it gentle".

From BBC

Here’s what to do if you overdid it.

From MarketWatch

But it is possible for companies to overdo a good thing.

From The Wall Street Journal

They weren’t to overdo it at their holiday dinner table.

From The Wall Street Journal

But, after they narrowly avoided an embarrassing defeat at Champions League minnows Qarabag, there were those questioning whether they might be overdoing the changes.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023