overdetermined

adjective

over·​de·​ter·​mined ˌō-vər-di-ˈtər-mənd How to pronounce overdetermined (audio)
1
: excessively determined
2
: having more than one determining psychological factor

Examples of overdetermined 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.
But that newfound vitality disguised an overdetermined sense of the precarity and vulnerability of childhood. — Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023 Assembly theory, its advocates say, escapes from that kind of overdetermined picture. — Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 4 May 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overdetermined was in 1917

Rhymes for overdetermined

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overdesign
overdetermined
overdevelop
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Cite this Entry

“Overdetermined.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdetermined. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

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Medical Definition

overdetermined

adjective
over·​de·​ter·​mined -di-ˈtər-mənd How to pronounce overdetermined (audio)
: having more than one determining psychological factor : affording an outlet for more than a single wish or need
an overdetermined dream symbol
overdetermination
-di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce overdetermined (audio)
noun
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