overuse

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈyüz How to pronounce overuse (audio)
Definition of overusenext
as in to stereotype
to use so much as to make less appealing she had overused that joke to the point where it was eliciting groans and not guffaws

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of overuse While the analogy may be slightly overused, the challenge is that oil still needs to be refined into a useful end product. — Guy Courtin, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Common mistakes like skipping morning water, overusing caffeine, or ignoring electrolytes can impact hydration. — Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 7 July 2026 Although the word ‘hero’ is greatly overused in today’s society, in my mind, Calvin Duncan is a hero in the truest sense of that word. — Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026 The fastest ways to lose that hotel feel include overusing plug-ins, which read as synthetic, and mixing too many competing fragrances at once. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for overuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overuse
  1. stereotype
  2. overexpose
  3. popularize
  4. vulgarize
  5. exhaust
  6. overdo
  7. bore
Verb
  • Despite being more prevalent now than ever, Chinese cuisine is still at times stereotyped or devalued.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • This phenomenon was most prominently displayed after George Floyd's death in 2020, when police officers were stereotyped across the country and the Black murder rate saw a 2,500-victim increase from the year before.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of stereotype
Verb
  • Imai had pitched twice in the previous 19 days, occupying a roster spot while leaving his fellow relievers overexposed.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • While some use leverage strategically, many are overexposed, risking severe losses when markets inevitably correct, proving even good ideas can fail without surviving volatility.
    — Andrew Graham, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of overexpose
Verb
  • Keurig’s new single-serve coffee machine delivers the same convenience that helped popularize its appliances but without the use of recyclable pods made from plastic and aluminum.
    — Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 2 Oct. 2026
  • As the author of A Theory of Semiotics (1976) and Semiotics and the Philosophy of Language (1984), Eco did more than any other scholar to establish and popularize the field in his home country.
    — Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of popularize
Verb
  • His versions were full-blooded, with lush strings and reasonably large orchestras — and, purists alleged — vulgarizing distortions.
    — BostonGlobe.com, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Oct. 2019
Definition of vulgarize
Verb
  • Unsurprisingly, Chinese researchers have predicted that the main urban pension fund covering some 500 million urban workers, retirees, and cadres will be exhausted by the mid-2030s.
    — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In June, the NCAA ruled the class of 2022 had exhausted their eligibility.
    — PJ Green October 2, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of exhaust
Verb
  • Experts say to avoid washing darks with linty fabrics, overdoing the detergent and using the heavy-duty wash cycle, among other tips.
    — Jolie Kerr, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Work within the context of your activity’s demands without overdoing it.
    — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of overdo
Verb
  • Powerful cutters have whirred to life on a giant drill that will begin boring a new train tunnel under the Hudson River connecting Manhattan to New Jersey.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The twin tubes, bored at a rate of roughly 30 feet per day, will take about a year to dig.
    — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of bore

Browse Nearby Words

overturns
overuse
overused
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overuse. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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