overdetermined
adjective
over·de·ter·mined
ˌō-vər-di-ˈtər-mənd 
1
: excessively determined
2
: having more than one determining psychological factor
Examples of overdetermined in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But that newfound vitality disguised an overdetermined sense of the precarity and vulnerability of childhood.
—
Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
Assembly theory, its advocates say, escapes from that kind of overdetermined picture.
—Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 4 May 2023
But in their case, a glamorous romp became an overdetermined narrative, beset by Hollywood excess and mental illness, until what began as a truly, madly adulterous affair ended in pathos, as Leigh, worn down by bipolar disorder, depression and tuberculosis, died in 1967.
—Matt Damsker, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2022
Its bulbous concrete supports reminded me of towers of Champagne glasses or an overdetermined cake, a showy design that seems to demonstrate form for form’s sake.
—Eva Hagberg, Curbed, 16 June 2022
The division between the chimpanzees of Nigeria-Cameroon and those of the western Congo region may be one with an overdetermined number of causes.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 4 July 2013
Out of such simple things are the deepest metaphors made, often overdetermined or contradictory, imbued with preternatural power.
—Ange Mlinko, The New York Review of Books, 1 Dec. 2022
The sequels abound with chattering characters—the Merovingian, the Last Exile, the Analyst—who pile up a Jenga tower of explanations for what’s going on, but whose relationship to the story feels both overdetermined and maddeningly elusive.
—Ryu Spaeth, The New Republic, 22 Dec. 2021
Perversely, Rose’s flatness ends up flattening Chuntao, too, making her reactions seem both overdetermined and vague.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2021
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.
Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
Assembly theory, its advocates say, escapes from that kind of overdetermined picture.
—Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 4 May 2023
But in their case, a glamorous romp became an overdetermined narrative, beset by Hollywood excess and mental illness, until what began as a truly, madly adulterous affair ended in pathos, as Leigh, worn down by bipolar disorder, depression and tuberculosis, died in 1967.
—Matt Damsker, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2022
Its bulbous concrete supports reminded me of towers of Champagne glasses or an overdetermined cake, a showy design that seems to demonstrate form for form’s sake.
—Eva Hagberg, Curbed, 16 June 2022
The division between the chimpanzees of Nigeria-Cameroon and those of the western Congo region may be one with an overdetermined number of causes.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 4 July 2013
Out of such simple things are the deepest metaphors made, often overdetermined or contradictory, imbued with preternatural power.
—Ange Mlinko, The New York Review of Books, 1 Dec. 2022
The sequels abound with chattering characters—the Merovingian, the Last Exile, the Analyst—who pile up a Jenga tower of explanations for what’s going on, but whose relationship to the story feels both overdetermined and maddeningly elusive.
—Ryu Spaeth, The New Republic, 22 Dec. 2021
Perversely, Rose’s flatness ends up flattening Chuntao, too, making her reactions seem both overdetermined and vague.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2021
Dictionary Entries Near overdetermined
Cite this Entry
“Overdetermined.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdetermined. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
overdetermined
adjective
over·de·ter·mined
-di-ˈtər-mənd
: having more than one determining psychological factor : affording an outlet for more than a single wish or need
an overdetermined dream symbol
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share