Standard Lemma guide

overdress

noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: OW1 V ER0 D R EH2 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any dress (feminine-style garment) worn over another, especially over an underdress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any garment worn over another.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: underdress

3

verb

Meaning 3

To wear too many clothes for a particular occasion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To wear clothing which is too elaborate or formal for a particular occasion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To put too many clothes on (a person).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • parents who overdress their children in winter

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To put too much dressing on (food).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Don't overdress the salad: it shouldn't be swimming in oil.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She never dresses up, even when she goes to the opera
  • The young girls were all fancied up for the party

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dress up, fig out, fig up, deck up, gussy up, fancy up, trick up, deck out, trick out, prink, attire, get up, rig out, tog up, tog out

Antonyms: underdress

Broader terms: dress, get dressed

Narrower terms: preen, primp, plume, dress, prank, tart up, enrobe, bedizen, dizen

8

verb

Meaning 8

dress too warmly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • You should not overclothe the child--she will be too hot

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: overclothe

Antonyms: underdress

Broader terms: dress, clothe, enclothe, garb, raiment, tog, garment, habilitate, fit out, apparel

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Germanic *uber Old English ofer- Middle English over- English over- English dress English overdress From over- + dress.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: контя се (kontja se) — to wear too elaborate or formal clothes
  • Finnish: ylipukeutua — to wear too elaborate or formal clothes