over·dose
ˈō-vər-ˌdōs 
1
: too great a dose (as of a therapeutic agent)
also
: a lethal or toxic amount (as of a drug)
2
: an excessive quantity or amount
an overdose of fun
over·dose
ˌō-vər-ˈdōs
overdosed; overdosing; overdoses
: to give an overdose or too many doses to
: to take or experience an overdose
—usually used with on
Examples of overdose in a Sentence
Noun
She died from a cocaine overdose.
Recent Examples on the Web
Marina Watts, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025
The medicine can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and is often available at pharmacies without a prescription.
—Moises Velasquez-Manoff, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
Moises Velasquez-Manoff, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
Instead of overdosing fields with fertilizer—which is cheap—to hedge against missing out on a boom crop, farmers might be able to target and tailor their fertilizer dosage to areas that need it most, in turn reducing the environmental impact of overfertilization.
—Ali Bouzari, Bon Appétit, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overdose
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Noun
Farley died in 1997 from an apparent drug overdose.
—Marina Watts, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025
The medicine can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and is often available at pharmacies without a prescription.
—Moises Velasquez-Manoff, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
Verb
When someone overdoses from fentanyl, breathing slows and their skin often turns a bluish hue.
—Moises Velasquez-Manoff, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
Instead of overdosing fields with fertilizer—which is cheap—to hedge against missing out on a boom crop, farmers might be able to target and tailor their fertilizer dosage to areas that need it most, in turn reducing the environmental impact of overfertilization.
—Ali Bouzari, Bon Appétit, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overdose
Cite this Entry
“Overdose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdose. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overdose
2 of 2 verb
over·dose
ˌō-vər-ˈdōs
1
: to give an overdose or too many doses to
2
: to take or experience an overdose
overdosed on heroin
Medical Definition
overdose
1 of 2 noun
over·dose
ˈō-vər-ˌdōs
: too great a dose (as of a therapeutic agent)
an overdose of exposure to the sun—Morris Fishbein
Morris Fishbein
also
: a lethal or toxic amount (as of a drug)
overdose
2 of 2 verb
over·dose
ˌō-vər-ˈdōs
overdosed; overdosing
: to give an overdose or too many doses to
: to take or experience an overdose
—usually used with on
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