an excess of what is necessary or appropriate for a particular situation, an action that is more forceful than necessary

Formal and Informal Expressions of overkill

In different contexts, you can replace 'overkill' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'excess, redundancy' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'overdoing, too much' is a commonplace synonym.

overkill: Explore its Definition & Usage

overkill Definition

1an excess of what is necessary or appropriate for a particular situation
2an action that is more forceful than necessary

Using overkill: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "overkill" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
Using a flamethrower to kill a spider is overkill.
Example
The amount of security for the small event was overkill.
Example
The company's response to the minor issue was an overkill.

overkill Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for overkill

Antonyms for overkill

Phrases with overkill

do something to death
to do something so much that it becomes boring or annoying
Example
He played that song to death, and now I can't stand it anymore.
over the top
excessive or exaggerated
Example
The decorations for the party were way over the top.
too much of a good thing
when something that is good becomes unpleasant because there is too much of it
Example
I love chocolate, but too much of a good thing can be bad for you.

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Summary: overkill in Brief

The term 'overkill' [oh-ver-kil] refers to an excess of what is necessary or appropriate for a particular situation, or an action that is more forceful than necessary. It is often used to describe situations where too much effort or resources are used, such as 'Using a flamethrower to kill a spider is overkill.' Other phrases include 'over the top,' meaning excessive or exaggerated, and 'too much of a good thing,' when something that is good becomes unpleasant because there is too much of it.