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Synonyms

overly

American  
[oh-ver-lee] / ˈoʊ vər li /

adverb

  1. excessively; too.

    a voyage not overly dangerous.
    Synonyms:
    inordinately, immoderately
overly British  
/ ˈəʊvəlɪ /

adverb

  1. too; excessively

"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

Etymology

Origin of overly

before 1050; Middle English; Old English oferlīce. See over, -ly

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.

The 1987 vampire movie becomes an overblown and overly sincere musical in a production directed by Tony winner Michael Arden.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

There’s a point, usually late at night, when I want something sweet but not overly involved.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

The circumstances behind every score can vary, but potential borrowers shouldn’t get overly worried if their debt management wasn’t as crisp in the recent past as it is now, Bandebo said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026

The Wikimedia Foundation said Saturday it has found a compromise with the Indonesian government, which had threatened to block Wikipedia over domestic registration rules the foundation feared were overly invasive.

From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026

“Wow, Liv, they look great, even if the model is a little overly enthusiastic.”

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

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.