overenthusiastic

adjective

over·​en·​thu·​si·​as·​tic ˌō-vər-in-ˌthü-zē-ˈa-stik How to pronounce overenthusiastic (audio)
-en-,
 also  -ˌthyü-
: having or showing an excessive degree of enthusiasm : overly enthusiastic
… was minding his own business at a computer conference when an apparently overenthusiastic fan gave him a kind of bear hug around the neck, which wrenched some vertebrae …Ron Rosenbaum and Marissa Martinelli
Indeed, he thinks many in the press and business community may be a little overenthusiastic about how soon many of these new technologies will have an impact.Patricia Panchak
… he made an overenthusiastic lunge from the stage and tore cartilage in his knee.Judith Jacklin Belushi
overenthusiastically adverb
… I played it willingly, throwing myself into it overenthusiastically because I had few prospects and little choice. Evangeline Henry

Examples of overenthusiastic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This is far from the first time that overenthusiastic Pokémon Go players have exasperated OpenStreetMap contributors. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 6 May 2024 We’ve all been unwittingly sprayed by large droplets of saliva from the mouth of an overenthusiastic talker. Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 7 Sep. 2021 There’s even an overenthusiastic laugh track. San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2021 An overenthusiastic right foot can overpower the front tires and bring on understeer, but lifting off restores front-end traction immediately and bends the Scirocco into the turn. Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 21 Mar. 2023 But that’s entirely a matter of passably sleek costuming, locations and cinematography, not to mention bombastically overenthusiastic soundtrack selections trying to force-inject adrenalin into lackluster proceedings. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 9 Mar. 2023 When inflamed, their efforts become overenthusiastic and destructive. Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2022 Letting the problem-solving part of the trip overwhelm the joy can be a real danger, though, and being overenthusiastic about getting things done can end up creating tension if parents are reluctant or don’t see the problem the same way. New York Times, 21 May 2021 This may have been related to the overenthusiastic use of cleaning products and other dangerous practices in the name of preventing illness. Kent Sepkowitz, CNN, 21 Apr. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overenthusiastic was in 1857

Dictionary Entries Near overenthusiastic

Cite this Entry

“Overenthusiastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overenthusiastic. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!