overengineer

verb

over·​en·​gi·​neer ˌō-vər-ˌen-jə-ˈnir 

overengineered; overengineering

transitive + intransitive

: to engineer (something, such as a product) to have more functions, capabilities, etc. than are necessary or desirable

The pressure to overreact to feedback … will lead many companies to overengineer their products, until common sense kicks back in.

—Guy Kawasaki

It was advertised to last 50 years, and overengineered so it might last 100.

—Stephen Flynn

Our research steered us away from trying to design pockets and compartments for specific uses. We didn't want to overengineer.

—Eric Rothenhaus

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above