1
as in heated
being in a state of increased activity or agitation
became overwrought when she heard that her child was missing
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2
as in ornate
elaborately and often excessively decorated
the author's prose is overwrought with purple passages and florid metaphors
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Recent Examples of overwrought
Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research NO: Even after a computer beat the world champion human chess player, fears of machines taking over the world and destroying mankind are overwrought.
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Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2024
No word is overwrought, no phrase fraught with unearned feeling, no hand ioverplayed.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
It Chapter Two is down to clown, again — in a bloody, silly, overwrought sequel
Moving down the tension scale to thrillers, Netflix is offloading a few particularly popular titles.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
The Kylie Minogue posters on his bedroom walls become the text for The Perfect Stranger’s overwrought foreplay.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overwrought 
Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2024
No word is overwrought, no phrase fraught with unearned feeling, no hand ioverplayed.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
It Chapter Two is down to clown, again — in a bloody, silly, overwrought sequel
Moving down the tension scale to thrillers, Netflix is offloading a few particularly popular titles.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
The Kylie Minogue posters on his bedroom walls become the text for The Perfect Stranger’s overwrought foreplay.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overwrought
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwrought
Adjective
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In the midst of the chaos, Heavenly suffers a nip-slip, adding an unexpected layer of awkwardness to the already heated exchange.Shelby Stewart, Essence, 23 Dec. 2024
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The two got in each other’s faces in a heated exchange that included Mims being held back by inactive teammate Orlando Brown Jr. and others.Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Wiig's character Annie, who had to close her bakery and is still grieving the business that was so personal to her, goes through the long process of baking and decorating a single ornate cupcake.Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 21 Dec. 2024
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Don’t stress out about that or a crazy ornate table.Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Comer was excited and relieved to see Athena had returned safely after nine days of grueling searches and heartbroken meltdowns from her kids.Kelli Bender, People.com, 27 Dec. 2024
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Several council members brought up worries about the plan before the vote, saying there was an opportunity to have a big project in the space that more of the community was excited about.Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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As the series became progressively more baroque and ambitious with its mythology over the next two decades, a scene from the Christmas party at the compound featuring an array of minor characters (most of whom would eventually get their own backstories) is a treat for hardcore fans.Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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These movies were designed to turn audiences on, but their baroque plots supplied a degree of plausible deniability, while the involvement of A-list actors lent a level of prestige: Douglas’s filmography alone includes intimate encounters with Close, Sharon Stone, and Demi Moore.Alex Barasch, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Her agitated forms do for computers what 19th-century spirit photography did for the camera, at once exploiting a new technology and highlighting its artifice, conjuring the ghost in the machine.Glenn Adamson, ARTnews.com, 16 Dec. 2024
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But Romy is uncomfortable in her own skin, agitated and anxious.Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In the constantly evolving music industry, many independent artists encounter the challenge of expanding their audience without depending on large budgets or extravagant gimmicks.Justin Grome, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
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The sheer size of this converted commercial jet gives aviation designers a colossal canvas for a range of bespoke living areas, ensuites, and extravagant dining halls, all paired with the latest technologies for work or play.Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 26 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Overwrought.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwrought. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
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