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overwrought

o·ver·wrought
O o

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [oh-ver-rawt, oh-ver-]
    • /ˈoʊ vərˈrɔt, ˌoʊ vər-/
    • /ˌəʊ.vəˈrɔːt/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [oh-ver-rawt, oh-ver-]
    • /ˈoʊ vərˈrɔt, ˌoʊ vər-/

Definitions of overwrought word

  • adjective overwrought extremely or excessively excited or agitated: to become overwrought on hearing bad news; an overwrought personality. 1
  • adjective overwrought elaborated to excess; excessively complex or ornate: written in a florid, overwrought style. 1
  • adjective overwrought Archaic. wearied or exhausted by overwork. 1
  • verb with object overwrought to cause to work too hard, too much, or too long; weary or exhaust with work (often used reflexively): Don't overwork yourself on that new job. 1
  • verb with object overwrought to work up, stir up, or excite excessively: to overwork a mob to the verge of frenzy. 1
  • verb with object overwrought to employ or elaborate to excess: an appeal for sympathy that has been overworked by many speakers. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of overwrought

First appearance:

before 1660
One of the 46% oldest English words
First recorded in 1660-70; over- + wrought

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Overwrought

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

overwrought popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 50% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.

overwrought usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for overwrought

adj overwrought

  • aflame — If something is on fire, you can say it is aflame.
  • anguished — Anguished means showing or feeling great mental suffering or physical pain.
  • anxious — If you are anxious to do something or anxious that something should happen, you very much want to do it or very much want it to happen.
  • beside oneself — If you are beside yourself with anger or excitement, you are extremely angry or excited.
  • bundle of nerves — a very nervous person

adjective overwrought

  • crazed — Crazed people are wild and uncontrolled, and perhaps insane.
  • detonative — (of an explosive, or ordnance) That is liable to detonate spontaneously.
  • emotional — Of or relating to a person's emotions.
  • eruptive — Of, relating to, or formed by volcanic activity.
  • euphuistic — Of or pertaining to euphuism.

Top questions with overwrought

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See also

Matching words

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