# overly

Pronunciation: US say "OH-ver-lee" /ˈoʊvɚli/; UK say "OH-vuh-lee" /ˈəʊvəli/

## Adverb

1. To an excessive degree; beyond what is appropriate or necessary.
   - Simple: More than is good, needed, or wanted.
   - _Critics found the film overly sentimental in its final act._
   - _Managers who are overly cautious can slow a whole project down._
2. To a high degree; very.
   - Simple: Very, or to a great degree.
   - _He didn't seem overly concerned about the deadline._
   - _The crowd wasn't overly large for a Tuesday night._

## Adverb

3. In a superficial manner; without examining things closely. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: In a shallow way that only touches the surface, not deeply.
4. In a careless manner; without giving something due attention. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: In a careless way, without paying proper attention.
5. In a haughty manner; with an air of superiority over others. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: In a proud way, acting better than other people.

## Adjective

6. Excessive in amount or degree; too great. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Too much, or more than is right or reasonable.
7. Superficial and lacking thoroughness; careless, negligent, or inattentive. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Shallow and not thorough, or done without care or proper attention.
8. Haughty; having or showing a sense of superiority over others. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Proud and acting better than other people.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–5** — Formed from 'over' combined with the adverb-forming suffix '-ly'.
**Meanings 6–8** — Formed from 'over' combined with the adjective-forming suffix '-ly'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/overly (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).