overdose

1 of 2

noun

over·​dose ˈō-vər-ˌdōs How to pronounce overdose (audio)
1
: too great a dose (as of a therapeutic agent)
also : a lethal or toxic amount (as of a drug)
2
: an excessive quantity or amount
an overdose of fun
overdosage noun

overdose

2 of 2

verb

over·​dose ˌō-vər-ˈdōs How to pronounce overdose (audio)
overdosed; overdosing; overdoses

transitive verb

: to give an overdose or too many doses to

intransitive verb

: to take or experience an overdose
usually used with on

Examples of overdose in a Sentence

Noun She died from a cocaine overdose.
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
Hollis died at age 47 from an accidental overdose of cocaine, fentanyl and alcohol on Feb. 11, 2023. Escher Walcott, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024 Tragically, Angus Cloud, who played Fez, died in July 2023 of an accidental overdose of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
The first-ever Abbott Elementary Halloween episode focuses on two of the classic hazards of the holiday: kids overdosing on sugar (which happens to pretty much the entire student body) and scary ghost stories (which, honestly, scare only Jacob). Jen Chaney, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024 McClain weighed 143 pounds but was given a higher dose of ketamine than recommended for someone his size and overdosed, according to Adams County coroner's office pathologist Stephen Cina. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for overdose 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1700, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of overdose was in 1700

Dictionary Entries Near overdose

Cite this Entry

“Overdose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdose. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

overdose

1 of 2 noun
over·​dose ˈō-vər-ˌdōs How to pronounce overdose (audio)
: too great a dose
overdosage noun

overdose

2 of 2 verb
over·​dose ˌō-vər-ˈdōs How to pronounce overdose (audio)
1
: to give an overdose or too many doses to
2
: to take or experience an overdose
overdosed on heroin

Medical Definition

overdose

1 of 2 noun
over·​dose ˈō-vər-ˌdōs How to pronounce overdose (audio)
: too great a dose (as of a therapeutic agent)
an overdose of exposure to the sunMorris Fishbein
also : a lethal or toxic amount (as of a drug)

overdose

2 of 2 verb
over·​dose ˌō-vər-ˈdōs How to pronounce overdose (audio)
overdosed; overdosing

transitive verb

: to give an overdose or too many doses to

intransitive verb

: to take or experience an overdose
usually used with on
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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