overall 1 of 2

adjective

ˌō-vər-ˈȯl How to pronounce overall (audio)
Definition of overallnext
1
as in general
belonging or relating to the whole the overall view seems to be that we're doing fine economically

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in broad
relating to the main elements and not to specific details there's an overall similarity in the looks of the models for that chain of clothing stores

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in prevailing
held by or applicable to a majority of the people the overall mind-set among the people in our town seems to be that any increase in taxes is bad

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

overall

2 of 2

adverb

ˌō-vər-ˈȯl How to pronounce overall (audio)
1
as in collectively
with everyone or everything taken into account at the same time reduce the budget overall by 15 percent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mostly
for the most part overall, this is a good speech, but it could use a little humor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 overall
Adjective
Rookie performance isn’t necessarily correlated with future success, especially for teenagers, such as Sarr and fellow Washington Wizards lottery pick Bub Carrington (No. 1 overall pick Risacher also just turned 20). — Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 16 Apr. 2025 Starlink's satellites can handle only a certain number of users at a time, and your overall speed will drop as more people in your area use the service. — PC Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Adverb
The Red Sox are averaging 5.07 runs per game, good enough for third in the American League and seventh of the 30 big league teams overall. — David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025 These varied directions, along with higher wind speeds overall, will prove challenging to any firefight. — Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overall
  1. general
  2. broad
  3. mostly
  4. generic
  5. public
  6. generally
  7. mainly
  8. popular
Adjective
  • Primaries not needed Spanberger and Earle-Sears can both skip competing in a primary and will instead head straight into the general face-off.
    — Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Two days later, general manager Julien BriseBois began his mid-season media session by pointing out how strong the Bolts, victorious in only six of their previous 15 games, were in many key categories.
    — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of general
Adjective
  • The group also argues that this cost-sharing approach will not incentivize insurers to return to underserved wildfire-prone areas, undermining Lara's broader Sustainable Insurance Strategy.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The Trump administration has singled out Ivy League universities including Columbia and Harvard for broad federal funding cuts.
    — Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of broad
Adverb
  • The study argued, however, that because the data centers would mostly not have been established without the incentive, their overall economic impact was significantly positive.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Washington, who the team had used mostly in the nickel, played alongside him.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of mostly
Adjective
  • Seen through the narrator’s eyes, the fast-food restaurant’s employees lose their generic anonymity and gain a sense of individuality.
    — Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The class action lawsuit alleges that Walgreens sold generic drugs at a higher cost to customers with insurance than to members of its Prescription Savings Club, according to court documents.
    — Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of generic
Adjective
  • The move triggered a 21-day public comment period as part of the investigation led by the Commerce Department.
    — Maggie Fick, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Save the primary beneficiary of that public money from more of the haphazard moves that have her franchise in the company of the league’s laughingstocks.
    — Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of public
Adverb
  • More Americans generally said the government is doing too little on the environment when a Republican administration leads than during a Democratic presidency.
    — Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Purple states are generally presidential battleground states or those where voters regularly split their support between the two parties: Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
    — Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of generally
Adverb
  • Organized, potent thunderstorms are forecast to ramp up starting Thursday, April 17, with subsequent rounds of severe weather right through Easter on Sunday, April 20, mainly focused on the central United States, AccuWeather said.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
  • More aggressive immigration enforcement actions took place last month, mainly at Ivy League and elite campuses in the Northeast, including Columbia University, where foreign students who supported pro-Palestinian protests were arrested for deportation.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of mainly
Adjective
  • Anastasio’s enthusiasm for Bernstein is based, in part, on the composer’s ability to effectively wed classical theory with popular song.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
  • This popular straight-shaft gas trimmer is lightweight and easy to use.
    — Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of popular

Browse Nearby Words

overages
overall
overambitious
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Cite this Entry

“Overall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overall. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

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