overdrive
noun
over·drive
ˈō-vər-ˌdrīv 
1
: an automotive transmission gear that transmits to the drive shaft a speed greater than engine speed
2
: a state of heightened activity
going into rhetorical overdrive
Examples of overdrive in a Sentence
He put the car into overdrive.
His acting career is in overdrive.
The reporters went into overdrive to finish their stories on time.
Recent Examples on the Web
One particular airline, though, has gone into overdrive.
—
thehustle.co, 21 Mar. 2025
The 2025 Men's NCAA Tournament won't kick into overdrive until Thursday, but the wait for the first game of the Big Dance is (almost) over.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
The joint departures sent the rumor mill into overdrive.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 17 Mar. 2025
However, when affection and support are inconsistent—when your partner is warm one day and distant the next—your brain perceives this uncertainty as a potential threat and goes into overdrive trying to make sense of the chaos.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overdrive
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thehustle.co, 21 Mar. 2025
The 2025 Men's NCAA Tournament won't kick into overdrive until Thursday, but the wait for the first game of the Big Dance is (almost) over.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
The joint departures sent the rumor mill into overdrive.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 17 Mar. 2025
However, when affection and support are inconsistent—when your partner is warm one day and distant the next—your brain perceives this uncertainty as a potential threat and goes into overdrive trying to make sense of the chaos.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overdrive
Cite this Entry
“Overdrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdrive. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
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overdrive
noun
over·drive
ˈō-vər-ˌdrīv
: a transmission gear in an automobile that allows the drive shaft to operate at a speed greater than that of the engine crankshaft
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