overzealous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- overzealously adverb
- overzealousness noun
Etymology
Origin of overzealous
Explanation
Overzealous describes someone who gets too excited about something, like your mom, the overzealous collector of cute kitten figurines that now fill every table and shelf in the house. If you're overzealous about something, you've gone too far, and you're probably starting to scare people. Parents who are overzealous about keeping their kids safe may not allow them out of the house — ever. If you are overzealous about conserving water, you might shower a little too infrequently, or scold people for washing their cars. Most people understand that you mean well, and that's why you are so intense.
Vocabulary lists containing overzealous
The Book Thief
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This Week in Pop Culture: January 26 - February 1, 2019
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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.
They’re overzealous because the law is very clear that oversight of these markets is the exclusive province of the federal government.
From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026
To a modern eye, this might seem overzealous.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026
And we can thank the overzealous adoption of A.I. for that.
From Slate • Oct. 17, 2025
Regular haircuts can help prevent dogs from overheating, but don’t get overzealous.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2024
Both sides came in with guards up; the family thinking Rindlisbacher overzealous.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
