over·dress
ˌō-vər-ˈdres 
overdressed; overdressing; overdresses
: to dress or adorn to excess
felt overdressed for the occasion in his tuxedo
: to dress oneself to excess
it's better to overdress for the party than be too casual
over·dress
ˈō-vər-ˌdres
: a dress worn over another
Examples of overdress in a Sentence
Verb
He overdressed for such a casual party.
Recent Examples on the Web
James Powel, USA TODAY, 4 Aug. 2024
The 42-year-old EGOT winner took to the ice with Lipinski’s help in a recent segment on The Jennifer Hudson Show, even if Hudson was a touch overdressed for the proceedings.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 1 Dec. 2023
Back in the day, you could feasibly be left to your own devices and told to take your kid sister trick-or-treating while hundreds of kids roamed the neighborhood adult-free and the parents were completely sloshed and overdressed partying in some warehouse downtown.
—Sona Charaipotra, Parents, 11 Oct. 2023
Our biggest challenge was learning not to overdress on our inner layer.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 23 Mar. 2021
While the movie is set in the 1940s, the tendency to overdress one’s children for cold weather is a timeless tradition.
—Fiorella Valdesolo, WSJ, 29 Oct. 2020
Hippos pile into a house—overdressed, with a guest, in a sack, through the back.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2019
In a post-street-style world, being overdressed is no longer considered a faux-pas—whether that translates to formal pajamas for brunch, daytime tulle, or yes, bedazzled stilettos with jeans just because.
—Ana Colon, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2018
They were overdressed — Higginbottom in his suspenders and Wright in red gladiator sandals — and uncomfortable.
—Vanessa Gregory, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2018
Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Dec. 2017
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.
Verb
But there's some situations where showing up in a suit and tie would be overdressed.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 4 Aug. 2024
The 42-year-old EGOT winner took to the ice with Lipinski’s help in a recent segment on The Jennifer Hudson Show, even if Hudson was a touch overdressed for the proceedings.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 1 Dec. 2023
Back in the day, you could feasibly be left to your own devices and told to take your kid sister trick-or-treating while hundreds of kids roamed the neighborhood adult-free and the parents were completely sloshed and overdressed partying in some warehouse downtown.
—Sona Charaipotra, Parents, 11 Oct. 2023
Our biggest challenge was learning not to overdress on our inner layer.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 23 Mar. 2021
While the movie is set in the 1940s, the tendency to overdress one’s children for cold weather is a timeless tradition.
—Fiorella Valdesolo, WSJ, 29 Oct. 2020
Hippos pile into a house—overdressed, with a guest, in a sack, through the back.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2019
In a post-street-style world, being overdressed is no longer considered a faux-pas—whether that translates to formal pajamas for brunch, daytime tulle, or yes, bedazzled stilettos with jeans just because.
—Ana Colon, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2018
They were overdressed — Higginbottom in his suspenders and Wright in red gladiator sandals — and uncomfortable.
—Vanessa Gregory, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2018
Noun
All three were bogged down by degrees of overdress.
—Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Dec. 2017
Dictionary Entries Near overdress
Cite this Entry
“Overdress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdress. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overdress
1 of 2 verb
over·dress
ˌō-vər-ˈdres
: to dress too formally or warmly for an occasion
overdress
2 of 2 noun
over·dress
ˈō-vər-ˌdres
: a dress worn over another
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share