overstudy

American  

[oh-ver-stuhd-ee, oh-ver-stuhd-ee] / ˌoʊ vərˈstʌd i, ˈoʊ vərˌstʌd i /

verb (used with or without object)

overstudied, overstudying

1. to study too much or too hard (sometimes used reflexively).

   to overstudy a letter for hidden meanings; to overstudy to the point of exhaustion; to overstudy oneself and forget half of what has been read.

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noun

1. excessive study.

Etymology

Origin of overstudy

First recorded in 1635–45; over- + study

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overstudy overstudied overstudying

Two months of rest, however, failed to produce any improvement, but the family physician would not admit that there was immediate danger, and declared the trouble simply the result of overstudy, advising travel.

From Cattle Brands A Collection of Western Camp-fire Stories by Adams, Andy

Mrs. Gray had gone through this same conversation every year since any of the girls could remember, and never failed to caution the head girl not to overstudy.

From Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School The Merry Doings of the Oakdale Freshmen Girls by Flower, Jessie Graham [pseud.]

I knew one girl, supposed to be a very fine student, and to have brought on "fits" by overstudy, while away at school.

From What a Young Woman Ought to Know by Wood-Allen, Mary

Providence is not to blame; nor is climate, weather, overwork, overstudy, or any other even seemingly plausible cause, to be blamed.

From Plain Facts for Old and Young by Kellogg, John Harvey

One a peculiar man, more refined appearing than the others, had once been a college professor; overstudy had partially unbalanced his reason.

From Watch Yourself Go By by Warden, Ben W.

Could you give an example of a “flashy” species that’s potentially been overstudied or a “drab” bird that your research suggests is understudied because of this bias?

From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2025

“Boredom isn’t an overstudied area like, you know, stress. Before I studied boredom, I studied anger, and that’s been studied so much that it became a bit boring.”

From Washington Post ● Mar. 27, 2020

Two decades ago, few areas of art history seemed as exhausted, if not overstudied as late-19th-century French painting.

From New York Times ● Dec. 13, 2018

They also disagree that the Hadza are overstudied, arguing that many teams are there only for a month or so and don't overlap much.

From Science Magazine ● May 17, 2018

His health had always been frail, and he overstudied in college, with the result that in the middle of his junior year he broke down altogether and was ill for a long time.

From The Camp Fire Girls Do Their Bit Or, over the Top with the Winnebagos by Frey, Hildegard G. (Hildegard Gertrude)

The point is, it’s such a splendid antidote for overstudying.

From Betty Wales Freshman by Dunton, Edith K.

She is always worrying herself to death for fear I'm overstudying.

From Nancy of Paradise Cottage by Watkins, Shirley

Looks as if he had been—shall we say put up to overstudying his part.

From Scarhaven Keep by Fletcher, J. S. (Joseph Smith)

I rubbed my eyes, and came to the conclusion that I'd been overstudying, and must be suffering from a delusion.

From The New Girl at St. Chad's A Story of School Life by Brazil, Angela