overpay

verb

over·​pay ˌō-vər-ˈpā How to pronounce overpay (audio)
overpaid ˌō-vər-ˈpād How to pronounce overpay (audio) ; overpaying

transitive + intransitive

: to pay too much to someone or for something
… the debate over whether organic foods are a smart choice for healthier living or a marketing tool that gulls people into overpaying.Kenneth Chang
It took my husband and me an hour with a representative to figure out we were overpaying for insurance and unlimited data plans.Tanisha A. Sykes
Be careful not to overpay state taxes.Carl T. Hall
We are not overpaying people; we are paying people what the market demands.Renee Glover
overpaid adjective
… fuels the negative stereotype of the overpaid underworked bureaucrat. Joann S. Lublin

Examples of overpay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The bottom line, according to the inspector general, is that the Air Force overpaid nearly $1 million for a dozen different types of spare parts. Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024 The problem was that CVS overpaid for those companies, putting pressure on its own business to deliver. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2024 Prosecutors said the government overpaid by about $100 million. Michael R. Sisak and Jake Offenhartz, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024 The first problem: JJ lets his emotions get the best of him during the property auction, and the teens wind up WAY overpaying for his land. Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for overpay 

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overpay was in 1664

Dictionary Entries Near overpay

Cite this Entry

“Overpay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overpay. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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