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overwrought

American  
[oh-ver-rawt, oh-ver-] / ˈoʊ vərˈrɔt, ˌoʊ vər- /

adjective

  1. extremely or excessively excited or agitated.

    to become overwrought on hearing bad news; an overwrought personality.
    Synonyms:
    frantic, distracted

  2. elaborated to excess; excessively complex or ornate.

    written in a florid, overwrought style.

  3. Archaic. wearied or exhausted by overwork.

overwrought British  
/ ˌəʊvəˈrɔːt /

adjective

  1. full of nervous tension; agitated

  2. too elaborate; fussy

    an overwrought style

  3. with the surface decorated or adorned

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of overwrought

First recorded in 1660–70; over- + wrought

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.