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)
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

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
Oral medications are also cheaper and easier to manufacture, which could be an advantage given the large population living with obesity and overweight. Jesse Pound,samantha Subin, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2024 High cholesterol, obesity and overweight, concussion or other brain injury, and mild cognitive impairment can also contribute to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Maggie O'Neill, Health, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
Analyst Matthew Cost upgraded the online game platform to overweight from equal weight and lifted his price target by $27 to $65, suggesting 26.4% upside. Pia Singh, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024 The bank recently upgraded Aptiv to overweight from equal weight. Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Following this earnings report, Wells Fargo reiterated the stock at an overweight rating . Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2024 In England, 22% of children aged 4 to 5 years are either overweight or obese. Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near overweight

Cite this Entry

“Overweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overweight. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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