too much of a good thing

Idioms and Phrases

Too large an amount of a beneficial or useful thing or activity can be harmful or excessive. For example, The indoor decorations are fine but the outdoor Santa, sled, reindeer, gnomes—it's just too much of a good thing . Expressed in slightly different form even earlier, Shakespeare used this precise wording in praise of moderation in As You Like It (4:1): “Can one desire too much of a good thing?”

Example Sentences

"Sometimes there is too much of a good thing," he tells BBC Newsbeat.

From BBC

But studies over the past 2 decades suggest it may be possible to get too much of a good thing: Engaging in intense exercise over many years may itself tip the heart into an unhappy electrical state, giving some athletes a risk of AF as much as five times higher than nonathletes the same age.

From Science Magazine

Yet for all that breakup songs have to offer, it’s still possible to have too much of a good thing.

From Los Angeles Times

"It's a classic case of too much of a good thing," Kizil says.

From Science Daily

When it comes to art shows, I don’t believe in “too much of a good thing.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• exuberance
• glut
• overkill
• surplus
• waste