overkill

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: overfill, overbill, overall, overspill, overfull, overfall, overcall, averill, overgilt, overwily, overwild

Antonyms: overfill, overbill, overall, overspill, overfull, overfall, overcall, averill, overgilt, overwily, overwild

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. {{lb|en|literally|military}} A [[destructive]] [[capacity]] that [[exceed]]s that needed to [[destroy]] an [[enemy]]; especially with [[nuclear]] [[weapon]]s.
2. {{lb|en|literally}} [[destruction|Destruction]] [[beyond]] what is [[necessary]] to [[kill]], especially in [[murder]].
3. {{lb|en|by extension}} An [[unnecessary]] [[excess]] of whatever is needed to [[achieve]] a [[goal]].
4. {{lb|en|manufacturing}} An [[unnecessary]] [[excess]] of [[disposal]] because of [[too]] [[high]] [[criteria]] of [[inspection]].

Verb

1. {{lb|en|transitive}} To [[destroy]] something with more ([[nuclear]]) [[force]] than is required.
2. {{lb|en|manufacturing}} To [[dispose]] of [[too]] [[many]] [[item]]s because of too-[[high]] [[criteria]] of [[inspection]].
3. To do something [[excessive]] to [[achieve]] a [[goal]].

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.