excessive

adjective

ex·​ces·​sive ik-ˈse-siv 

: exceeding what is usual, proper, necessary, or normal

excessively adverb

excessiveness noun

Synonyms

• extreme
• extravagant
• insane
• steep
• lavish

Choose the Right Synonym for excessive

excessive, immoderate, inordinate, extravagant, exorbitant, extreme mean going beyond a normal limit.

excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable.

excessive punishment

immoderate implies lack of desirable or necessary restraint.

immoderate spending

inordinate implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment.

inordinate pride

extravagant implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste.

extravagant claims for the product

exorbitant implies a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree.

exorbitant prices

extreme may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable but commonly means only to a notably high degree.

extreme shyness

Examples of excessive in a Sentence

an excessive display of wealth

High fever, nausea, and excessive sweating are some of the symptoms.

Recent Examples on the Web

Private equity can have expensive structures, excessive fees, long lock-up periods, and valuations that are notoriously stale—making liquidity (getting money out), and performance (assessing the actual performance) more opaque for investors. —Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

But around 50% of students feel that excessive reliance on AI could harm their academic performance, according to research from the Digital Education Council in 2024. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 7 Aug. 2025

August started strong with an excessive heat warning across the Valley and temperatures climbing well above 110 degrees. —Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 7 Aug. 2025

Laws intended to prevent excessive exploitation went mostly unenforced in the rural northwest, allowing the continuation of what was virtually a chattel system in which workers could be bought, sold, and transported freely. —Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for excessive

• aggressive
• compressive
• concessive
• depressive
• expressive
• impressive
• obsessive
• oppressive
• possessive
• progressive
• recessive
• regressive

Kids Definition

excessive

adjective

ex·​ces·​sive ik-ˈses-iv 

: showing excess : too much

excessively adverb

excessiveness noun

Legal Definition

excessive

adjective

ex·​ces·​sive

: exceeding what is proper, necessary, or normal

specifically : being out of proportion to the offense

excessive bail