overkill
pronunciation
How to pronounce overkill in British English:
UK [ˈəʊvəkɪl]
How to pronounce overkill in American English:
US [ˈoʊvərkɪl]
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- Noun:
- the capability to obliterate a target with more weapons (especially nuclear weapons) than are required
- any effort that seems to go farther than would be necessary to achieve its goal
Word Origin
- overkill (n.)
- 1958, from over- + kill (v.). Originally in reference to nuclear arsenals; the general sense is from 1965. The verb is attested from 1946.
Example
- 1. Is this overkill or are we really in need of such protection ?
- 2. Cms is total overkill for the average business site .
- 3. What absurd computer overkill , like turning grocery lists into powerpoint presentations .
- 4. Any such legislation is likely to be overkill .
- 5. I could function on almost no sleep and eight hours always seemed like overkill to me .