# overweight

/ˌoʊvɝˈweɪt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/overweight
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. body weight

adjective · CEFR B1

weighing more than is healthy for your height.

For teachers: having a body weight above a level considered healthy or normal for a given height.

- The doctor suggested a new exercise plan because I am slightly overweight.
- Clinical studies indicate that being significantly overweight can increase the risk of developing chronic cardiovascular conditions later in life.

### 2. too heavy for rules

adjective · CEFR B2

weighing more than the legal or safe limit.

For teachers: exceeding a weight limit established by law, safety regulations, or commercial standards.

- The truck was stopped by police because it was overweight for that bridge.
- The airline charged an additional fee because my checked luggage was overweight by three kilograms.

### 3. finance/investing

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

holding more of a specific investment than is typical or average.

For teachers: holding a higher proportion of a specific security or sector than is represented in a benchmark index.

- The fund manager decided to be overweight on tech stocks this year.
- The analyst recommended that investors remain overweight on emerging markets despite the recent currency fluctuations.

Usage: Usually follows the verb 'to be' and takes the preposition 'on'.

### 4. excess weight

noun · CEFR B2

the state of weighing too much, or the extra weight itself.

For teachers: the condition of being over a standard weight or the amount of weight that exceeds a limit.

- He struggled with overweight for most of his adult life.
- The structural integrity of the floor was compromised by the sheer overweight of the industrial machinery placed upon it.

### 5. to give too much importance

verb · CEFR C1 · Academic

to give something more importance or value than it deserves.

For teachers: to assign excessive importance, value, or statistical weight to a particular factor.

- You shouldn't overweight the results of just one small test.
- The researchers were careful not to overweight the anecdotal evidence when drawing their final conclusions about the drug's efficacy.

## Examples

- The doctor told him he is slightly overweight.
- Health professionals use the body mass index to determine if a patient is medically overweight or within a healthy range.
- While the term is frequently used in medical contexts to assess risk factors, many researchers argue that being overweight does not always correlate directly with poor metabolic health.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.