overly
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of overly
before 1050; Middle English; Old English oferlīce. See over, -ly
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.
The study shows that aging lung cells can trigger an overly aggressive immune response, which can turn even mild infections into serious conditions.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
After Congress passed a law forcing their release, Bondi presided over that release — amid criticisms she was slow-walking it, withholding certain records and overly redacting others.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
And don’t look for BritBox to be overly rigid in its selection process: “Bridget Jones’s Diary” becomes available May 1.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
Save room for dessert—the house-made churro cheesecake isn’t overly sweet and is a great way to end the meal.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026
He knew his little brother considered him overly cautious.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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.
