over the side of a boat or ship and into the water, done in an excessive or exaggerated way

Formal and Informal Expressions of overboard

In different contexts, you can replace 'overboard' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'excessive, unreasonable' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'too much, over the top' is a commonplace synonym.

overboard: Explore its Definition & Usage

overboard Definition

1over the side of a boat or ship and into the water
2done in an excessive or exaggerated way

Using overboard: Examples

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

Example
He fell overboard and was rescued by the coast guard.
Example
She went overboard with the decorations for the party.
Example
Don't go overboard with the salt in the recipe.

overboard Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for overboard

Antonyms for overboard

Phrases with overboard

throw someone overboard
to force someone to leave a group or organization
Example
The CEO threatened to throw anyone overboard who didn't meet their sales targets.
go overboard for someone
to do something excessively or extravagantly for someone
Example
He really went overboard for her birthday, buying her expensive gifts and taking her out to a fancy dinner.
overboard with something
to do something excessively or to an extreme degree
Example
She went overboard with the makeup, applying layers upon layers of foundation and powder.

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Summary: overboard in Brief

The term 'overboard' [ˈəʊvəbɔːd] refers to falling off a boat or ship into the water. It also means doing something excessively or in an exaggerated way, as in 'She went overboard with the decorations for the party.' The phrase 'throw someone overboard' means to force someone to leave a group or organization, while 'go overboard for someone' means to do something excessively for someone.