overkill

1 of 2

verb

over·​kill ˌō-vər-ˈkil 

overkilled; overkilling; overkills

transitive verb

: to obliterate (a target) with more nuclear force than required

overkill

2 of 2

noun

over·​kill ˈō-vər-ˌkil 

1

: a destructive capacity greatly exceeding that required for a given target

2

: an excess of something (such as a quantity or an action) beyond what is required or suitable for a particular purpose

publicity overkill

an overkill in weaponry

3

: killing in excess of what is intended or required

Synonyms

Noun

• bellyful
• excess
• fat
• overabundance
• overage
• overflow
• overmuch
• overplus
• oversupply
• plethora
• plus
• redundancy
• superabundance
• superfluity
• surfeit
• surplus
• surplusage

Examples of overkill in a Sentence

Noun

Yes, we need a new car, but this huge truck seems like overkill.

the song already borders on the maudlin—the addition of a syrupy string accompaniment would just be overkill

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Some phones, such as Sony’s Xperia Z Premium devices, reach higher on this metric to match the 4K resolution that’s now standard on most TVs, but that’s generally overkill and only costs you battery life without providing any real visual benefit. —Popular Science, 15 Apr. 2020

These guys need nine lives, as much as they’ve been overkilled. —Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 25 Aug. 2017

Noun

The scene repeats the joke too many times at the end, but the joy of watching Yang get sprayed in the face by a hose makes up for a bit of comic overkill. —Ian Crouch, The New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2024

In the wake of the presidential election this month, the validity or not of the word Latinx was again brought up, but all the handwringing and dramatic reaction feels like overkill. —Leila Cobo, Billboard, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1957, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1957, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

overkill

noun

over·​kill

-ˈkil

1

: a much greater capacity for destruction than is needed for a particular target

2

: an excess beyond what is needed or suitable

advertising overkill