OVERKILL Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

overkill

noun

as in surplus

the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed the song already borders on the maudlin—the addition of a syrupy string accompaniment would just be overkill

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of overkill This is starting to feel like overkill. —

Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026 There’s so much vying for your attention, including a Sisyphus figure in the background rolling his interminable burden up and down an incline, that the maskwork that comes into play can begin to feel like Brechtian overkill. —

Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026 In that moment, the smash-and-grab sound and head-bangers-on-overkill vibe of the Red Hot Chili Peppers was born. —

Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026 This one included logos of the teams playing and did away with the XII overkill design. —

Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overkill

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overkill

Noun

Back then, online purchases hadn’t been invented, experiences were less curated, and the World Cup was regarded as a festival of soccer rather than an opportunity to extract consumer surplus.

— John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Of course, Indiana closed fiscal year 2025 with a $676 million surplus and billions in reserves, which makes these sorts of decisions possible.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026