overheat

verb

over·​heat ˌō-vər-ˈhēt How to pronounce overheat (audio)
overheated; overheating; overheats

transitive verb

1
: to heat to excess
2
: to stimulate or agitate unduly

intransitive verb

: to become heated beyond a safe or desirable point

Examples of overheat in a Sentence

I overheated the food in the microwave. Be careful not to overheat the engine.
Recent Examples on the Web Previously, the safety board said the crash was likely caused by an overheating bearing on one of the railcars that wasn’t caught soon enough by trackside sensors to prevent the derailment. Eli Joseph, Fortune, 5 June 2024 Emily Waltz Data centers need serious cooling technologies to keep servers from overheating, and sometimes air conditioning just isn’t enough. IEEE Spectrum, 31 May 2024 Investigators believe the Norfolk Southern train derailed after a wheel bearing overheated. Peter Eavis, New York Times, 23 May 2024 It's made of super soft, thin, lightweight material that will keep you from overheating and pairs well with any bottoms, plus the shirts are great for layering. Kayla Blanton, Peoplemag, 22 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for overheat 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overheat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overheat was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near overheat

Cite this Entry

“Overheat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overheat. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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