overexpose

American  

[oh-ver-ik-spohz] / ˌoʊ vər ɪkˈspoʊz /

verb (used with object)

overexposed, overexposing

1. to expose too much, as to the sun, cold, or light rays (often used reflexively).

   Be careful of overexposing yourself to the sun.

2. Photography. to expose (a film or the like) to too much light.

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overexpose British  

/ ˌəʊvərɪksˈpəʊz /

verb

1. to expose too much or for too long

2. photog to expose (a film, plate, or paper) for too long a period or with too bright a light

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Other Word Forms

• overexposure
  noun

Etymology

Origin of overexpose

First recorded in 1865–70; over- + expose

Explanation

If you take a photograph in harsh sunlight, you may overexpose it, or ruin it with too much bright light. It might look cool and arty, but it’s usually just a washed out mess. Redo! A bright, washed out photograph that has no sharp details or clear highlights can be the result when you overexpose it. Another way to overexpose is to leave someone open to too much risk or public attention — a pushy stage parent may overexpose a child actor to the media, for example, in an attempt to make them famous. The photography meaning dates from the invention of photography itself in the nineteenth century.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overexpose overexposed overexposing

“We have to make sure we don’t overexpose him,” Balelo said.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2025

In telescope digital cameras, they appear as bright streaks of light, which block stars and astronomical objects as well as overexpose the entire field of view.

From Scientific American ● Nov. 7, 2022

As photographers take Nellie’s picture leaving the theater, the flashes of light overexpose the frame, “so you feel almost accosted by the flashbulbs, by the crowd,” Chazelle said.

From New York Times ● Nov. 2, 2022

Night mode photos are weirdly over-brightened, and the camera sometimes has a tendency to overexpose images, even in moderate indoor lighting.

From The Verge ● Apr. 5, 2022

Defoliation from disease can overexpose tomatoes, as can overzealous pruning, particularly up top.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 26, 2021

With commercial tourism, social media and vlogging much of today’s world feels overexposed and overexplained, with seemingly every destination photographed, every experience reviewed and all hidden gems channeled into content.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

Rowbottom’s husband, the novelist Jon Lindsey, pointed to her instinct for subjects that literary fiction has historically dismissed — either as unserious, feminine or culturally overexposed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026

There will be a bank or private credit manager that is overleveraged and overexposed to one of these troubled countries or sectors.

From Barron's ● May 1, 2026

Few events in American life are more overexposed, over-promoted and over-discussed than the Super Bowl—and I say that as a sportswriter who’s a gleeful part of the plague.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 8, 2026

There were overexposed shots of roses, hands pressed together in prayer, more selfies of Maya and Claire together.

From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway

Autonomous AI agents can simply be misconfigured, creating vulnerabilities by overexposing and oversharing sensitive data.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

"We need to stop inadvertently overexposing elite female athletes," said Hilborne.

From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2025

To the digital cameras on telescopes, they appear as bright streaks of light, blocking stars and astronomical objects while overexposing the entire field of view.

From Scientific American ● Jan. 31, 2023

Working in darkness, he adds light by overexposing, and inhibits it chemically, an idiosyncratic variant of the rigidly scientific developing system codified by Ansel Adams.

From The New Yorker ● Sep. 30, 2019

He closed his eyes and threw his arm over his face to keep the light from overexposing his thoughts.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison