overweight
overweight — adjective
1. used for a person or animal whose body has more fat than is good for their healt
used for a person or animal whose body has more fat than is good for their health
At his checkup, Daniel learned he was slightly overweight for his age.
pattern: be overweight for [age/height]
The clinic offers free classes for children who are overweight.
After months indoors, Maya felt overweight and started walking daily.
pattern: feel overweight
Two brothers became overweight from eating fried snacks every night.
- slightly overweight
- seriously overweight
- overweight child
- overweight dog
- underweight
below a healthy body weight
Grammar Patterns
be overweight
feel overweight
become overweight
Usage Note
Often used after linking verbs such as 'be', 'feel', and 'become', especially about people and pets. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about breaking a stated weight limit.
Common Mistakes
2. weighing more than the rules or limit allow
weighing more than the rules or limit allow
Our suitcase was overweight, so we moved books into another bag.
common collocation: overweight baggage
The truck was overweight and could not cross the old bridge.
Airport staff checked whether the golf bag was overweight.
An overweight parcel cost Lara extra to send by air.
attributive use: overweight parcel
- overweight baggage
- overweight truck
- overweight parcel
- overweight by two kilos
- too heavy
the broad everyday phrase, without necessarily implying a limit
- over the limit
stresses breaking a set rule or allowance
- overloaded
often suggests too much has been put inside or on something
- underweight
below the minimum or expected weight in measurement contexts
- within limit
not above the allowed weight
Grammar Patterns
be overweight
overweight baggage
overweight by two kilos
Usage Note
Usually describes luggage, vehicles, or parcels in situations with a rule, fee, or safety limit. Distinguish from sense 1, which refers to unhealthy body weight.
Common Mistakes
overweight — noun
1. a condition in which a person's body weight is above a healthy level
a condition in which a person's body weight is above a healthy level
Doctors warn that overweight can raise blood pressure over time.
health use: overweight can raise [risk]
At the clinic, Dr. Lee explained childhood overweight to Mia's parents.
common phrase: childhood overweight
The school nurse tracks overweight in yearly health checks.
Regular walks helped Ken avoid overweight after he left college.
- childhood overweight
- overweight in adults
- prevent overweight
- overweight rates
- excess weight
a broad, everyday phrase that often sounds less technical
- obesity
a stronger and more medical term
- heaviness
more general and less common in health contexts
- healthy weight
a body weight within a healthy range
Grammar Patterns
childhood overweight
prevent overweight
overweight in adults
Usage Note
Common in health writing and public discussion, often with words like 'childhood', 'rates', and 'prevent'. Distinguish from adjective sense 1, which describes a person directly.
Common Mistakes
2. the amount by which something is heavier than the permitted or expected weight
the amount by which something is heavier than the permitted or expected weight
The airline waived one kilo of overweight on Lina's bag.
pattern: kilo of overweight
Freight companies list the price of each kilo of overweight.
The scale showed only a little overweight, so Ben kept the boots.
Port workers measured the overweight before loading the container.
transport use: measure the overweight
- one kilo of overweight
- pay for overweight
- measure the overweight
- overweight charge
- excess weight
the clearest everyday phrase for weight above a limit
- extra weight
broader and less technical
- overage
a more technical transport or business term
- allowance
the amount of weight permitted before any extra is counted
Grammar Patterns
kilos of overweight
charge for overweight
measure the overweight
Usage Note
Common in transport and shipping, especially after 'kilo(s) of' or verbs like 'measure' and 'charge for'. Distinguish from noun sense 1, which refers to a health condition, not an extra amount.
Common Mistakes
3. extra physical weight that presses on something and makes it hard to carry, move
extra physical weight that presses on something and makes it hard to carry, move, or support
The shelf bent under the overweight of thick law books.
pattern: under the overweight of
The dock boards cracked under the overweight of four wet cement bags.
The old horse slowed from the overweight of two riders.
The attic floor creaked under the overweight of three water tanks.
- under the overweight of books
- dangerous overweight
- ease the overweight
- overweight on a roof
- lightness
the state of not having much weight
Grammar Patterns
under the overweight of
from the overweight of
ease the overweight
Usage Note
Often follows 'under', 'from', or 'of' when describing a load pressing on something. Distinguish from noun sense 2, which is about exceeding a stated limit.
Common Mistakes
overweight — verb
1. to treat one fact, reason, or feature as more important than it should be
to treat one fact, reason, or feature as more important than it should be
The report overweights test scores and ignores classroom progress.
object pattern: overweight test scores
Some voters overweight a candidate's TV image during debates.
Investors may overweight recent news when prices start falling.
common object: overweight recent news
The coach overweights speed and forgets basic ball control.
- overweight one factor
- overweight recent news
- overweight test scores
- overweight short-term results
- overemphasize
the closest general verb for giving too much importance
- overvalue
often stresses judging something too highly
- overrate
suggests thinking something is better or more important than it really is
- downplay
to make something seem less important
- underweight
used in technical contexts for giving too little weight to a factor
Grammar Patterns
overweight one factor
overweight recent news
overweight test scores
Usage Note
Object is usually a factor, piece of evidence, or short-term result. Distinguish from verb sense 2, where actual physical weight is added.
Common Mistakes
2. to put so much weight on something that it becomes too heavy
to put so much weight on something that it becomes too heavy
Workers overweighted the crane with wet sand bags.
pattern: overweight + object + with
The tailor overweighted the curtain by sewing metal beads inside.
Someone overweighted the fishing net, and it tore in the river.
result pattern: overweight until damage happens
The lab assistant overweighted the sample jar before shipping it.
- overweight with sandbags
- overweight a curtain
- overweight a net
- overweight a jar
- overload
the usual verb when too much weight or material is added
- weigh down
focuses on making something sink, bend, or move badly
- overburden
more formal and can also be figurative
- lighten
to make something less heavy
Grammar Patterns
overweight something with sandbags
overweight a net
overweight a sample jar
Usage Note
Object is the thing made too heavy, often followed by 'with' plus what was added. Distinguish from adjective sense 2, which describes the result rather than the action.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- weighverbA2
- weightnounA2
- weightedadjectiveB2
- underweightadjectiveB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
'Overweight' is a fairly neutral word for someone whose body weight is above a healthy level. 'Fat' is more direct and can sound rude, especially about a person. 'Heavy' is broader and less exact, and it may describe build without clearly suggesting a health issue. 'Obese' is stronger and more medical, so it is common in health reports and doctor-patient talk. 'Plump' is milder and sometimes even warm, especially for babies or small children. A nurse might say, 'Leo is overweight,' while a medical chart may classify a more serious case as 'obese'.
Etymology
Formed in English from 'over-', meaning 'too much' or 'above a limit', and 'weight'. Both parts go back to old Germanic words in English. Earlier uses could describe anything above an allowed weight, and the body-weight meaning later became the one people meet most often today.