overboard

adverb

over·​board ˈō-vər-ˌbȯrd How to pronounce overboard (audio)
1
: over the side of a ship or boat into the water
2
: to extremes of enthusiasm
3
: into discard : aside

Examples of overboard in a Sentence

He threw the fish overboard. The boy fell overboard and almost drowned. One of the sailors fell into the water, and someone shouted “Man overboard!”.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Wine finishes can go quickly overboard, leaving the whiskey with an abundance of big, fruity, tannic notes that overpower its core identity. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2025 Paddington and others are thrown overboard while in the Amazon. Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 12 Feb. 2025 Met with suspicion by the drone’s pilot, the captain kills the man during a loud, nighttime storm, and lobs him overboard — and then lies about his activities when others step out onto the deck. Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 27 Dec. 2024 Lakers Plaschke: Sinking Lakers franchise must throw LeBron James and Anthony Davis overboard Dec. 9, 2024 Ham was hired by the Lakers as a first-time head coach in 2022, after 11 years as an assistant with the Lakers, Atlanta Hawks and Bucks. Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for overboard

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overboard was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overboard. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

overboard

adverb
over·​board ˈō-vər-ˌbō(ə)rd How to pronounce overboard (audio)
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
1
: over the side of a ship into the water
2
: to extremes of enthusiasm
go overboard for a new fad

More from Merriam-Webster on overboard

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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