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
Relevance
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
These storms are why Coloradans overuse the cliche Don’t like the weather?
—
Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 6 June 2025
But what most leaders don’t realize is that these same strengths, when overused or misapplied, can quietly derail team performance and strain relationships.
—Alba Contreras Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Ending consent decrees part of Trump's larger DOJ revamp
Among Trump's allies in the law enforcement ranks, there are cheers among those who argue consent decrees micromanage departments and were overused by the previous administration.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 May 2025
For example, one engineering company used AI agents to analyze workload distribution and identify areas where resources were being overused.
—Alex Circei, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overuse
Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 6 June 2025
But what most leaders don’t realize is that these same strengths, when overused or misapplied, can quietly derail team performance and strain relationships.
—Alba Contreras Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Ending consent decrees part of Trump's larger DOJ revamp
Among Trump's allies in the law enforcement ranks, there are cheers among those who argue consent decrees micromanage departments and were overused by the previous administration.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 May 2025
For example, one engineering company used AI agents to analyze workload distribution and identify areas where resources were being overused.
—Alex Circei, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overuse
Verb
-
The relationship between dogs and cats is often stereotyped as contentious.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
-
Apart from sipping Michelob Ultra from the brim of his cowboy hat and flirting with the crowd, the tattooed troubadour got candid about his journey as a Mexican American artist in the country genre, sharing his challenges with being stereotyped in the South.—
Diana Leyva,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
The Athletic is already guilty of cynically overexposing Arsenal's Max Dowman and Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
-
Applying a minor exposure adjustment will naturally boost the contrast between darker and lighter tones of your image, and a good result will be one where the solar disk does not appear under- or overexposed.—
Josh Dury,
Space.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The president’s signature tax law allows a long-standing business deduction for the cost of food provided to employees to expire, imperiling a workplace perk popularized during Silicon Valley’s dot-com boom that is now an emblem of modern office culture.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
12 July 2025
-
The event popularized the sport on campus, but Notre Dame didn’t log a victory in the rivalry until the ninth meeting in 1909.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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
-
Ever since his rise to power, Trump has served as a vulgarizing agent.—
Leon Neyfakh,
Slate Magazine,
2 June 2017
Verb
-
While others exhaust themselves and their budgets staying open for ghosts and insomniacs, smart operators perfect their performance when the audience is there.—
Elie Y. Katz,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
According to a report released by Social Security trustees last month, once the trust fund is exhausted, payroll taxes would only be sufficient to cover about 77 percent of scheduled benefits.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
Without ever overdoing, Catmull compels the audience to pay attention.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
-
Italians don't overdo it, but always include some detail that draws attention without going overboard.—
René Chávez Esparza,
Glamour,
21 June 2025
Verb
-
Dude really is the audience’s surrogate; I’ve been bored with Parker’s limited motivations this whole time.—
Stacia Brown,
Vulture,
2 July 2025
-
At work, this can look like jumping from task to task, constantly seeking new tools or projects, or getting bored easily.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overuse. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share