overalert

adjective

over·​alert ˌō-vər-ə-ˈlərt 

: excessively alert

… has long feared that he will get himself shot by an overalert bodyguard …

—Helena de Bertodano

The anxious person looks overalert, displayed in ways such as sitting forward in a chair; moving fingers, arms, or legs; getting up and moving; pacing around the room; checking certain parts of clothing; and straightening ties or scarves.

—Arthur H. Jeske

overalertness noun

… the company … increased the settlement offer to $1,000 after blaming the incident on overalertness for fraud.

—Meggen Lindsay

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above