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

Some would like to see more public outcry, when necessary, about overzealous data-gathering. —Kristina Lindborg, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Apr. 2025

Simplified spelling was now a national joke—the kooky obsession of an overzealous president and his merry band of misspellers. —Gabe Henry, Time, 15 Apr. 2025

Trey Songz had a close call with an overzealous fan during a performance of the The Millennium Tour 2025 in North Carolina on Sunday night (March 23). —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 25 Mar. 2025

Fox News Digital previously reported that Britain was facing a free speech crisis due to the new left-leaning government, overzealous policing and courts cracking down on freedom of expression. —Simon Constable, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2025

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