overdo
Americanverb (used with object)
-
overdoes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
overdid,
past
-
overdone,
past participle
-
overdoing
present participle
-
to do to excess; overindulge in.
to overdo dieting.
-
to carry to excess or beyond the proper limit.
He puts on so much charm that he overdoes it.
-
to overact (a part); exaggerate.
-
to overtax the strength of; fatigue; exhaust.
-
to cook too much or too long; overcook.
Don't overdo the hamburgers.
verb (used without object)
-
overdoes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
overdid,
past
-
overdone,
past participle
-
overdoing
present participle
verb
-
to take or carry too far; do to excess
-
to exaggerate, overelaborate, or overplay
-
to cook or bake too long
-
to overtax one's strength, capacity, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
overdosimple
-
overdoessimple
-
have overdoneperfect
-
has overdoneperfect
-
am overdoingprogressive
-
are overdoingprogressive
-
is overdoingprogressive
-
have been overdoingperfect progressive
-
has been overdoingperfect progressive
Past
-
overdidsimple
-
had overdoneperfect
-
was overdoingprogressive
-
were overdoingprogressive
-
had been overdoingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overdo
before 1000; Middle English overdon, Old English oferdōn. See over-, do 1
Vocabulary lists containing overdo
Commonly Confused Words, List 2
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Commonly Confused Words, List 4
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Commonly Confused Words, List 8
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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.
See Examples For:
“Toy Story 5” doesn’t overdo its lachrymose side; it’s at least half a breezy comedy, albeit one tinged with worry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
Morgan might overdo Fiona’s fiery streak when she sings “Waitin’ For My Dearie,” but the driving impulse is to bring the musical’s out-of-time female characters into the 21st century.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
“One of the best things about music’s potential to decrease dementia risk is that it is fun, can be interactive and you can’t overdo it,” Jaffa said.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2025
"I mean, I'm not going to overdo it, but I felt sorry for him because he's under pressure. People make mistakes."
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2025
"The doctor says your disease is incurable, but you could have a remission lasting five years, even more, if you take good care of yourself and don't overdo it."
From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
The performances are engaging, though Bates overdoes the overbearing nature of her voluble character: opinionated, judgmental and not hesitant to deliver dig after dig at Chrissie.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 13, 2023
“What we’re doing here is trying to take mechanisms that fight where your body overdoes it.”
From Washington Times ● Mar. 6, 2021
Daley notes that Plemons’s comfort inhabiting a sinister character like Gary prevented him from becoming the kind of dramatic actor who overdoes comedy to “sweaty and awkward” effect.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 4, 2020
Arbery overdoes the symbolism – as with a noisily explosive generator that echoes the breaking string in Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 29, 2019
The fact is the composer burlesques the old-fashioned scene and air with trills and other vocal pyrotechnics, but overdoes the thing.
From Ivory Apes and Peacocks by James Huneker
He would get so excited about workouts that he often overdid it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
The British number one sustained a rib injury in the build-up to Roland Garros after he "overdid it with the preparation".
From BBC ● May 26, 2026
Here’s what to do if you overdid it.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 12, 2026
Laufenberg overdid Konstantin’s temper tantrums in Act I, but found a convincingly pained and broken register for the closing scene.
From New York Times ● Mar. 8, 2023
“I thought perhaps I overdid it when I stuck out my tongue.”
From "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown
Markets are pricing in an additional 160 basis points of Fed rate hiking over the next 12 months, but BlackRock sees that move as overdone.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
One clue that the precipitous drop might be getting overdone: The company has continued to report double-digit year-over-year revenue growth.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026
Chocolate-industry executives have been saying the recent price jump is overdone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
De Los editors Fidel Martinez and Suzy Exposito call out overdone Latin music trends and the best albums of 2026 on ‘The De Los Podcast.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
She let out an overdone sigh and reached into a drawer.
From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd
She worried this new song—a three-minute romp set to a bounding rhythm in the fashion of Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel”—was overdoing it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Some also say Americans — as in the case of previous health fads — run the risk of overdoing it.
From MarketWatch ● May 10, 2026
But, after they narrowly avoided an embarrassing defeat at Champions League minnows Qarabag, there were those questioning whether they might be overdoing the changes.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2025
On the other hand, I am not sure if Parker Posey is trying to sound crazy on purpose because her character is heavily medicated, or if she’s just really overdoing that drawl.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2025
I introduced myself, overdoing it a bit, and asked him his name.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
