overdue

adjective

over·​due ˌō-vər-ˈdü How to pronounce overdue (audio)
-ˈdyü
1
a
: unpaid when due
an overdue bill
b
: delayed beyond an appointed time
an overdue train
overdue library books
2
: too great : excessive
an overdue share of the profits
3
: more than ready
overdue for a haircut

Examples of overdue in a Sentence

She reminded him that the rent was overdue. He has many overdue bills. The train is 10 minutes overdue.
Recent Examples on the Web Intimately documented, Gondry’s career and playful creative process receive an overdue review, from his earliest music videos to his latest feature film at Cannes. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024 The industry’s overdue crawl toward gender parity has been reflected in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s recent induction classes, which were once quite testosterone-heavy (fully shutting out women as recently as 2016) but have begun to welcome more women into the Hall’s ranks each year. Joe Lynch, Billboard, 8 Mar. 2024 This is the first time that washer and dryer standards have been updated in more than a decade, a step Mauer said is long overdue. Tik Root / Grist, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2024 That's a rarity in this field and a change that has been long overdue. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 3 Mar. 2024 Mission Valley, East Village and other neighborhoods in the district frequently experience flooding during storms, and infrastructure upgrades in these areas are long overdue. The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024 Credit card debt is reaching serious delinquency, defined as payments 90 days or more overdue, at a faster rate than any other kind of debt, with nearly 6.4% reaching this status in the last three months of 2023. Megan Poinski, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 On Friday, anti-gun groups hailed the verdict as a long overdue reproach. Kate Christobek, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 The film’s victory and the powerful charisma of the film’s star Sidney Poitier, empowered to dramatically assert Black dignity and outrage, helped provide the momentum of a movement whose time was clearly overdue. Steven Gaydos, Variety, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overdue.' 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

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of overdue was in 1763

Dictionary Entries Near overdue

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

overdue

adjective
over·​due ˌō-vər-ˈd(y)ü How to pronounce overdue (audio)
1
a
: unpaid when due
overdue bills
b
: not appearing or presented on time
an overdue train
an overdue book
2
: more than ready
a country overdue for governmental reform

More from Merriam-Webster on overdue

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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