Overly
/ˈoʊvərli/
Definitions
To a degree that is excessive or extreme.
/ˈoʊvərli/
To an excessive degree; too much
The restaurant was overly crowded.
💡 Simply: Imagine your friend is *way* too excited about a new video game. They're OVERLY excited! It means more than what's considered normal or expected.
👶 For kids: It means something is *too much*! Like, if you eat *too* many cookies, you are overly full!
More Examples
She was overly cautious about crossing the street.
He's overly critical of other people's work.
How It's Used
"He was overly concerned about the test."
"Patients with anxiety are often overly sensitive to stimuli."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
over and above
In addition to; more than.
"The company gave employees a bonus over and above their regular salaries."
over the top
Excessive; exaggerated.
"The decorations were a little over the top."
From "over" (indicating excess) + "-ly" (adverbial suffix). It emerged in Middle English, evolving from the Old English word "ofer." It has been used to intensify the sense of the preceding word.
Found in literature from the 16th century onwards, primarily used to intensify the quality or state described.
Memory tip
Think of someone putting too much icing on a cake – it's overly sweet!
Word Origin
"over (excessively) + -ly (adverbial suffix)"