Word
overkill
US/ˈoʊvɝˌkɪɫ/
UK/ˌəʊvəkˈɪl/
Definition
n. a situation where you use more power or force than is actually needed. It is often used when someone does something in a way that is too much or unnecessary.
n. the use of excessive force, power, or resources to achieve a goal. Often implies a lack of restraint or a mismatch between the scale of the action and the requirement.
Examples
“Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut is a bit of overkill.”
“The security team's response to the minor alarm was seen as overkill by the staff.”
“While the new software features are impressive, the level of detail provided in the manual is a bit of overkill for most casual users.”
Examples
simple
“Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut is a bit of overkill.”
contextual
“The security team's response to the minor alarm was seen as overkill by the staff.”
complex
“While the new software features are impressive, the level of detail provided in the manual is a bit of overkill for most casual users.”
Real-World Examples
“A sceptic might accuse her of apocalyptic overkill, steamy sensationalism, but it’s tempered by humour – look at the cute pets.” “Perhaps there is an element of overkill, a sense of Chelsea taking their new direction too far, but Welbeck and Henderson still have something to offer.” Etymology
From over- + kill.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/overkill