overzealous

adjective

over·​zeal·​ous ˌō-vər-ˈze-ləs 

: too zealous : having or showing too much zeal : excessively eager, enthusiastic, or fervent

overzealous parents

overzealous workers

… another version of the overzealous monitoring that has produced kids who leave for college without ever having crossed the street by themselves.

—Peggy Orenstein

The village saw the orders as unwarranted interference from an overzealous state bureaucracy and promptly appealed.

—Joe Treen and S. Avery Brown

overzealously adverb

… has been frequently accused by its critics of acting recklessly, overzealously, and even, at times, illegally.

—Steve Lustgarden

overzealousness noun

Jewell was annoyed that press descriptions of him always emphasized his "overzealousness"; he considers himself a man of details.

—Marie Brenner

Examples of overzealous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The message was meant to set boundaries with overzealous fans and spectators who feel entitled to her space or attention. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026

An earnest intention to test various options can quickly turn into a video game–esque challenge of dodging errant spritzes from overzealous salespeople. —Alexis Berger, StyleCaster, 16 Mar. 2026

In a vacuum, the signing could seem a bit overzealous. —Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026

At the time, the tech industry was undergoing massive job cuts, a response to overzealous hiring during the pandemic. —Crystal Villarreal, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1628, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overzealous

• bellis
• felis
• fellas
• jealous
• pelisse
• trellis
• zealous
• michaelis
• nucellus
• ocellus