overtime

American  

[oh-ver-tahym, oh-ver-tahym] / ˈoʊ vərˌtaɪm, ˌoʊ vərˈtaɪm /

noun

1. working time before or after one's regularly scheduled working hours; extra working time.

2. pay for such time (distinguished from straight time).

3. time in excess of a prescribed period.

4. Sports. an additional period of play for deciding the winner of a game in which the contestants are tied at the end of the regular playing period.

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adverb

1. during overtime.

   to work overtime.

adjective

1. of or for overtime.

   overtime pay.

verb (used with object)

overtimed, overtiming

1. to give too much time to (a photographic exposure).

overtime British  

noun

1. 1. work at a regular job done in addition to regular working hours

   2. ( as modifier )

      overtime pay

2. the rate of pay established for such work

3. time in excess of a set period

4. sport extra time

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adverb

1. beyond the regular or stipulated time

verb

1. (tr) to exceed the required time for (a photographic exposure)

Etymology

Origin of overtime

First recorded in 1530–40; over- + time

Explanation

Overtime is the amount of time you work beyond your regular hours. If your boss asks you to work over 40 hours one week, that's overtime and you should demand extra pay. You can use this word as a noun or an adjective, as in overtime pay or overtime hours. At some workplaces, working overtime earns you more than the normal hourly salary. In other cases, full time employees are expected to work overtime without any extra pay. In sports, overtime is when play goes longer than the usual time — more than nine innings in a baseball game, or more than a twenty-minute half in basketball, for example.

Example Sentences

Vegas coach John Tortorella did not have an update on McNabb’s status after his team’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Huricanes, and the Golden Knights had not provided one as of early Friday morning.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

Given that the Treasury Department is already seeing excessive overtime claims, it’s worth asking: How common might that temptation be?

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

Did poor data on overtime pay before the passage of the tax law lead to incorrect expectations?

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

Besides more money, the workers are seeking limits to American Axle’s ability to compel them into overtime production on weekends, which happened in 47 of 52 weeks in 2023, Jager said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

"I can find money for overtime," Teddy offered.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir