overpay

[ oh-ver-pey ]

/ ˌoʊ vərˈpeɪ /

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See synonyms for: overpaid on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), o·ver·paid, o·ver·pay·ing.

to pay more than (an amount due): I received a credit after overpaying the bill.

to pay (a person) in excess.

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Origin of overpay

First recorded in 1595–1605; over- + pay¹

OTHER WORDS FROM overpay

o·ver·pay·ment

[oh-ver-pey-muhnt, oh-ver-pey-muhnt], /ˌoʊ vərˈpeɪ mənt, ˈoʊ vərˌpeɪ mənt/, nounun·o·ver·paid, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use overpay in a sentence

I was suddenly so bored," he confesses, "I was underworked and overpaid.
House of the Witch: The Renegade Craft Brewers of Panama|Jeff Campagna|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But instead of a witty pop song, we have yet more woe-is-me-feel-my-pain from an overpaid, over-cosseted celebrity.
Why We Should Hate 'Haters Gonna Hate'|Tim Teeman|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Lewis knew he had to do the right thing, and he way overpaid for the papers,” Rendell said.
Ed Rendell: I Could Have Been on Inquirer Owner Lewis Katz’s Crashed Jet|Lloyd Grove|June 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If they overpaid for the company they acquired, why should the government have to bail them out?
There’s a Life Saving New Drug. But You Can’t Afford It.|Kaiser Health News|February 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The suspension gives official sanction to those who dismiss the naturally gifted Rodriguez as an overpaid “phony.”
Alex Rodriguez Suspension Is a Sad Moment for Baseball|Michael Brendan Dougherty|August 5, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Cynthia took the card and thanked him again so warmly that Hubert assured her that he was already overpaid.
A Life Sentence|Adeline Sergeant
I am heartily glad of it—I shall be infinitely overpaid for my journey, by having the pleasure of going back with you.
Tales And Novels, Volume 3 (of 10)|Maria Edgeworth
The gondolier assimilates to the cabman also in his liking to be overpaid.
A Wanderer in Venice|E.V. Lucas
Many a time when we were driving home of a night have I overpaid the cabman on the sly, afraid he would grumble and provoke Ned.
Cashel Byron's Profession|George Bernard Shaw
But they will be greatly overpaid by the measure of affection they secure to you.
The Domestic Life of Thomas Jefferson Compiled From Family Letters and Reminiscences|Sarah N. Randolph

British Dictionary definitions for overpay

overpay

/ (ˌəʊvəˈpeɪ) /

verb -pays, -paying or -paid

to pay (someone) at too high a rate

to pay (someone) more than is due, as by an error

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