overall

1 of 3

adverb

over·​all ˌō-vər-ˈȯl How to pronounce overall (audio)
1
: all over sense 1
the pattern used overall
2
: from one end to the other
600 feet long overall
3
a
: in view of all the circumstances or conditions
overall, the sale was a success
b
: as a whole : generally
doesn't do as well overall
overall and in most of its detail the film has remarkable powerTime
c
: with everyone or everything taken into account
was third overall in earnings
got 31 miles to the gallon overall

overall

2 of 3

noun

over·​all ˈō-vər-ˌȯl How to pronounce overall (audio)
1
a
overalls ˈō-vər-ˌȯlz How to pronounce overall (audio) plural, archaic : loose protective trousers worn over regular clothes
b
usually overalls : trousers of strong material usually with a bib and shoulder straps
2
chiefly British : a loose-fitting protective smock worn over regular clothing

Illustration of overall

Illustration of overall
  • overall 1b

overall

3 of 3

adjective

1
: including everything
2
: viewed as a whole : general

Examples of overall in a Sentence

Adverb He made a few mistakes but did well overall. Overall, the project was successful. Adjective your overall score after two rounds His mistake didn't change my overall impression of him. Your overall health is sound. She likes the overall quality of the product. The scratch didn't affect the car's overall appearance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
In the state of Washington overall, the median household income in 2023 was $93,440, bolstered by higher-earning cities like Seattle and Bellevue, where median incomes are over $100,000. Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024 Named for a historic brewery in Mexico City, Cruz Blanca is doing very cool things overall. Erik Ofgang, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
Following her dominance on the court with the Hawkeyes, she was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever. Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024 Loyd, 31, was drafted No. 1 overall by the Storm in 2015 and remained the team’s biggest star following the recent retirement of Sue Bird and the departure of Breanna Stewart following the 2022 season. Sean Neumann, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
As burnout has shown to affect women disproportionately to men, Kathy McCabe bridges a growing gap between productivity and overall employee satisfaction. Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024 Now, as the former 2nd overall pick looks for a new home, his headlines were masked by the rumors spreading about the 2024 Winter Meetings about teammate Kyle Tucker. Tyler Small, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for overall 

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1631, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overall was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near overall

Cite this Entry

“Overall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overall. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

overall

1 of 2 adverb
over·​all ˌō-və-ˈrȯl How to pronounce overall (audio)
: as a whole : generally
we find your work satisfactory, overall

overall

2 of 2 adjective
ˌō-və-ˈrȯl,
ˈō-və-ˌrȯl
1
: including everything
overall expenses
2
: viewed as a whole : general

More from Merriam-Webster on overall

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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