overweight

1 of 3

noun

over·​weight ˈō-vər-ˌwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
sense 2 is usually
ˌō-vər-ˈwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
Synonyms of overweightnext
1
: weight over and above what is required or allowed
2
: excessive or burdensome weight

overweight

2 of 3

verb

over·​weight ˌō-vər-ˈwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
overweighted; overweighting; overweights

transitive verb

1
: to give too much weight or consideration to
2
: to weight excessively

overweight

3 of 3

adjective

over·​weight ˌō-vər-ˈwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
: exceeding expected, normal, or proper weight
especially : exceeding the bodily weight normal for one's age, height, and build

Synonyms

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of overweight in a Sentence

Adjective He looked to be at least 20 pounds overweight. an overweight person who had difficulty running even a short distance
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.
Noun
Club name Eaton was upgraded to a buy-equivalent overweight at KeyBanc following the power management company’s investor day. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025 The three countries expected to have the highest rates of overweight or obesity by 2050 are China (627 million people), India (450 million) and the U.S. (214 million). — Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
Iren — Shares gained around 1% on the back of an upgrade to overweight from neutral by JPMorgan. — Sean Conlon, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025 Barclays upgrades Lennox to overweight from equal weight Barclays said the heating and cooling company is undervalued. — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
While negative in tone, Morgan Stanley kept its overweight buy rating on Goldman. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025 Nearly two-thirds of active troops are now classified as overweight or obese. — Steve Forbes, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overweight

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1621, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overweight was in 1552

Rhymes for overweight

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Browse Nearby Words

overweight
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Cite this Entry

“Overweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overweight. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

overweight

1 of 2 noun
over·​weight ˈō-vər-ˌwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
 sense 2 is usually  ˌō-vər-ˈwāt
1
: weight above what is required or allowed
2
: excessive or burdensome weight

overweight

2 of 2 adjective
over·​weight ˌō-vər-ˈwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
: being more than the expected, normal, or proper weight
especially : having greater than normal bodily weight for one's age, height, and build

Medical Definition

overweight

adjective
over·​weight -ˈwāt How to pronounce overweight (audio)
: weighing in excess of the normal for one's age, height, and build
overweight adolescents
overweight adults typically have a body mass index of 25 to 29.9
overweight noun

More from Merriam-Webster on overweight

Nglish: Translation of overweight for Spanish Speakers

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