overheat
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to heat to excess.
-
to excite or agitate; make vehement.
a crowd overheated by rabble-rousers.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
-
to make or become excessively hot
-
(tr; often passive) to make very agitated, irritated, etc
-
(intr) (of an economy) to tend towards inflation, often as a result of excessive growth in demand
-
(tr) to cause (an economy) to tend towards inflation
noun
Other Word Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has overheatedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have overheatedperfect
-
are overheatingprogressive
-
am overheatingprogressive 1st person singular
-
have been overheatingperfect progressive
-
overheatssingular 3rd person
-
overheatingparticiple
-
is overheatingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
has been overheatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
Past
-
had overheatedperfect
-
had been overheatingperfect progressive
-
overheatedparticiple
-
was overheatingprogressive singular
-
were overheatingprogressive plural
-
overheatedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of overheat
First recorded in 1350–1400, overheat is from the Middle English word overheten. See over-, heat
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.
Magnets that exploit the properties of rare earths such as neodymium can overheat, making them lose their magnetism in high-tech, high-temperature settings such as vehicle engines.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
He said there’s a need to move data faster, which means light — instead of traditional copper — that won’t overheat data centers.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
As ocean temperatures climb, these species are more likely to overheat, which could shrink their habitable range and push them toward cooler regions closer to the poles.
From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026
Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, if they materialize, could also provide a boost, especially if they cause the economy to overheat.
From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025
Fortunately, it sensed the overheat and warned me.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
