Word
ott
Phoneticsott
/ˈɑt/
Definition
adj. too much or more than is necessary. You use this when someone's behavior or a style is so extreme that it feels silly or annoying.
adj. excessive, exaggerated, or disproportionate to the situation. An abbreviation of 'over the top'; typically used predicatively after a linking verb.
Examples
“His reaction to the small mistake was a bit OTT.”
“The movie's special effects were totally OTT, making the action scenes feel more like a cartoon than a thriller.”
“While some critics appreciated the director's bold vision, others felt the operatic performances were far too OTT for such a grounded, intimate script.”
Examples
simple
“His reaction to the small mistake was a bit OTT.”
contextual
“The movie's special effects were totally OTT, making the action scenes feel more like a cartoon than a thriller.”
complex
“While some critics appreciated the director's bold vision, others felt the operatic performances were far too OTT for such a grounded, intimate script.”
Usage
Often follows linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'feel'.
Pitfall
He is very over the top.
He is a bit OTT.
While 'over the top' is the full form, the abbreviation OTT is almost always preceded by 'a bit' or 'totally' rather than 'very' in natural speech.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/ott