overdress

1 of 2

verb

over·​dress ˌō-vər-ˈdres How to pronounce overdress (audio)
overdressed; overdressing; overdresses

transitive verb

: to dress or adorn to excess
felt overdressed for the occasion in his tuxedo

intransitive verb

: to dress oneself to excess
it's better to overdress for the party than be too casual

overdress

2 of 2

noun

over·​dress ˈō-vər-ˌdres How to pronounce overdress (audio)
: a dress worn over another

Examples of overdress in a Sentence

Verb He overdressed for such a casual party.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The 42-year-old EGOT winner took to the ice with Lipinski’s help in a recent segment on The Jennifer Hudson Show, even if Hudson was a touch overdressed for the proceedings. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 1 Dec. 2023 Back in the day, you could feasibly be left to your own devices and told to take your kid sister trick-or-treating while hundreds of kids roamed the neighborhood adult-free and the parents were completely sloshed and overdressed partying in some warehouse downtown. Sona Charaipotra, Parents, 11 Oct. 2023 Our biggest challenge was learning not to overdress on our inner layer. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 23 Mar. 2021 While the movie is set in the 1940s, the tendency to overdress one’s children for cold weather is a timeless tradition. Fiorella Valdesolo, WSJ, 29 Oct. 2020 Hippos pile into a house—overdressed, with a guest, in a sack, through the back. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2019 In a post-street-style world, being overdressed is no longer considered a faux-pas—whether that translates to formal pajamas for brunch, daytime tulle, or yes, bedazzled stilettos with jeans just because. Ana Colon, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2018 They were overdressed — Higginbottom in his suspenders and Wright in red gladiator sandals — and uncomfortable. Vanessa Gregory, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2018 Rules: My mother always says you can't be overdressed just underdressed. Allison Carey, cleveland.com, 15 June 2017
Noun
All three were bogged down by degrees of overdress. Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Dec. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overdress.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1704, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overdress was in 1704

Dictionary Entries Near overdress

Cite this Entry

“Overdress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdress. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

overdress

1 of 2 verb
over·​dress ˌō-vər-ˈdres How to pronounce overdress (audio)
: to dress too formally or warmly for an occasion

overdress

2 of 2 noun
over·​dress ˈō-vər-ˌdres How to pronounce overdress (audio)
: a dress worn over another

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