overheat
Americanverb (used with object)
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to heat to excess.
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to excite or agitate; make vehement.
a crowd overheated by rabble-rousers.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
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to make or become excessively hot
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(tr; often passive) to make very agitated, irritated, etc
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(intr) (of an economy) to tend towards inflation, often as a result of excessive growth in demand
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(tr) to cause (an economy) to tend towards inflation
noun
Other Word Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has overheatedperfect 3rd person singular
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have overheatedperfect
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are overheatingprogressive
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am overheatingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been overheatingperfect progressive
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overheatssingular 3rd person
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overheatingparticiple
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is overheatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been overheatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had overheatedperfect
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had been overheatingperfect progressive
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overheatedparticiple
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was overheatingprogressive singular
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were overheatingprogressive plural
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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.
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
While the U.S. economy boomed, it didn't overheat.
From Barron's • May 8, 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
Pupils attempt to short-circuit the devices by breaking off charging pins or jamming metal items into power ports, causing them to overheat and, in some cases, going on fire.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
Twice Ralph called Ti Fifi on his cell phone to report that the ambulance had broken down—the engine tended to overheat when there wasn’t enough motor oil.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
