excessive

adjective

ik-ˈse-siv How to pronounce excessive (audio)
Definition of excessivenext
as in extreme
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount nerdy hackers who spend an excessive amount of time sitting in front of their computers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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excessive amounts
extreme amounts
unnecessary amounts
copious amounts
unhealthy amounts
enormous amounts
excessive use
excessive wear
extreme wear
heavy wear
massive wear

Synonym Chooser

How is the word excessive different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of excessive are exorbitant, extravagant, extreme, immoderate, and inordinate. While all these words mean "going beyond a normal limit," excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable.

excessive punishment

When is exorbitant a more appropriate choice than excessive?

The words exorbitant and excessive can be used in similar contexts, but exorbitant implies a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree.

exorbitant prices

Where would extravagant be a reasonable alternative to excessive?

While the synonyms extravagant and excessive are close in meaning, extravagant implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste.

extravagant claims for the product

When might extreme be a better fit than excessive?

Although the words extreme and excessive have much in common, extreme may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable but commonly means only to a notably high degree.

extreme shyness

When can immoderate be used instead of excessive?

The words immoderate and excessive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, immoderate implies lack of desirable or necessary restraint.

immoderate spending

When is it sensible to use inordinate instead of excessive?

The meanings of inordinate and excessive largely overlap; however, inordinate implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment.

inordinate pride

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of excessive Dominguez’s widow sued Pina and the department, winning $1 million in damages in 2023 after a federal civil jury found the officer had used excessive force. —Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025 Those affiliates were serving duplicative roles, which caused the company to pay excessive consulting service fees, according to the February complaint. —Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 27 Feb. 2025 According to the millennial fashionista, in the summer, office air conditioning is often on so a wool or cashmere cardigan is necessary, while in the winter, excessive heating means layers are essential. —David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025 Sixty-one percent of Americans believe that excessive apologizing diminishes the impact of a sincere apology. —Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for excessive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excessive
  1. extreme
  2. extravagant
  3. insane
  4. steep
  5. lavish
Adjective
  • Women are being stripped of their titles and, in the most extreme cases, their rights.
    — Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Think about the weather: Between 2018 and 2023, three out of four people in the U.S. experienced an extreme weather event like a hurricane, a fire, or a flood.
    — Jennifer Tescher, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of extreme
Adjective
  • Nothing today is lavished with such extravagant design.
    — Raphael Orlove, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The play is an extravagant metaphor for political discourse, disputes between nations, nationalist feelings and more.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of extravagant
Adjective
  • Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.
    — Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.
    — Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of insane
Adjective
  • That was a slightly steeper decline than the one reported in a preliminary reading earlier this month.
    — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
  • And in January 2024, a steep entertainment tax on services by karaoke bars, spas, and nightclubs had been proposed, though that was scrapped the next month after backlash from local businesses.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of steep
Adjective
  • For all his Trump flattery and lavish gift-giving, Abe never scored Japan a pass in Trump 1.0 tariffs.
    — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The kitchen serves as the heart of the home, blending seamlessly into a sunlit family and sitting room — perfect for everything from lingering over Sunday brunch to lavish summer entertaining.
    — Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of lavish

Browse Nearby Words

excessing
excessive
excessively
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Excessive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excessive. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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