overboard

adverb

over·​board ˈō-vər-ˌbȯrd 

1

: over the side of a ship or boat into the water

2

: to extremes of enthusiasm

3

: into discard : aside

Examples of overboard in a Sentence

He threw the fish overboard.

The boy fell overboard and almost drowned.

One of the sailors fell into the water, and someone shouted “Man overboard!”.

Recent Examples on the Web

Because the polished look already oozes elegance, there’s no need to go overboard with accessories—a leather bag and dress shoes should do the trick. —Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2025

The celebration: Nothing overboard, although Gretzky does break out his trademark tippy-toe dance. —Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025

The search for a missing fisherman who fell overboard during a fishing competition on Sunday has been suspended, Australian police say. —Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025

To escape, Tanya decides to jump overboard into the tender boat. —Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing overboard

• go overboard
• wash overboard

Rhymes for overboard

• checkerboard
• clavichord
• fiberboard
• fibreboard
• fingerboard
• harpsichord
• motherboard
• notochord
• overlord
• paperboard
• plasterboard
• shuffleboard

Kids Definition

overboard

adverb

over·​board ˈō-vər-ˌbō(ə)rd 

-ˌbȯ(ə)rd

1

: over the side of a ship into the water

2

: to extremes of enthusiasm

go overboard for a new fad