overpay

American  

[oh-ver-pey] / ˌoʊ vərˈpeɪ /

verb (used with object)

overpaid, overpaying

1. to pay more than (an amount due).

   I received a credit after overpaying the bill.

2. to pay (a person) in excess.

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overpay British  

/ ˌəʊvəˈpeɪ /

verb

1. to pay (someone) at too high a rate

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

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Other Word Forms

• overpayment noun
• unoverpaid adjective

Etymology

Origin of overpay

First recorded in 1595–1605; over- + pay ¹

Example Sentences

To offset lower upfront payments, many smaller deals are coming with contingent payments, like contingent-value rights or milestones, that could eventually raise the value while protecting buyers from overpaying.

From The Wall Street Journal

“As a fund manager, you do not want to overpay for assets.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Until there’s more information about how the merger would be structured, investors may worry that Estée Lauder is overpaying for a difficult asset.

From Barron's

Avoiding a prolonged regulatory battle preserves balance sheet flexibility and shields the company from the risk of overpaying in a competitive auction.

From Barron's

‘It’s been on the market for a year’: I’m under contract on a condo, but I’m worried I’m overpaying.

From MarketWatch