overly
Overly (adv) means to an excessive or unnecessary degree. Example: “He's overly cautious when it comes to spending money.”
adv
1
To an excessive or unnecessary degree.
"Parents can be overly protective of their children."
"He's overly cautious when it comes to spending money."
"Don't be overly critical of your first draft."
"Your race is overly sentimental; it distorts your judgment."
— Robert Heinlein (1958)
"The soup was overly salty, so I added more water."
How to use overly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishToo much — used right before an adjective to mean "excessively."
Common mistake
Always pairs with another adjective (overly cautious, overly sensitive) — it doesn't stand alone.
Common pairings
overly cautious
overly sensitive
overly critical
overly simplistic
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more overly
- Superlative
- most overly
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He's _____ cautious when it comes to spending money.
Etymology
From over + the adverbial suffix -ly.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for overly
miserly
orderly
elderly
utterly
eagerly
Beverly
Waverly
fatherly
motherly
properly
westerly
formerly
See all rhymes for overly →
Frequently asked questions
What does “overly” mean?
The word “overly” means to an excessive or unnecessary degree. In plain terms, too much — used right before an adjective to mean "excessively.".
How do you use “overly” in a sentence?
Here is “overly” used in a sentence: “He's overly cautious when it comes to spending money.”
What part of speech is “overly”?
“Overly” is an adverb.
Is “overly” a common word?
“Overly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between overly and too?
Overly and too both signal excess, but overly tends to sound slightly more formal or written, as in overly cautious, while too is more common in everyday speech, as in too careful. They are largely interchangeable before an adjective.
Is it correct to write overly excessive?
No, overly excessive is redundant because excessive already means going beyond a proper or reasonable limit. Since overly means to an excessive or unnecessary degree, pairing it with excessive repeats the same idea.
What kinds of words does overly typically modify?
Overly almost always modifies adjectives or adverbs to show they go too far, as in overly cautious, overly complicated, or overly generous, rather than modifying nouns or verbs directly.
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