Overkill definition

ōvər-kĭl

Words form:

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An excess of what is necessary or appropriate for a particular end.

noun

The destructive use of military force beyond the amount needed to destroy an enemy.

noun

The excessive use of force in killing an individual or organism.

noun

Elimination or drastic reduction of an animal population by hunting or killing.

noun

To destroy (an enemy or enemy target) with more force than necessary.

verb

To use excessive force in killing (an individual, for example).

verb

To kill too many of (a population of animals) for the population to maintain itself in substantial numbers.

verb

To apply an excess of what is necessary or appropriate for (a particular end).

Overkill an advertising campaign.

verb

To engage in overkill.

verb

The capacity of a nation's nuclear weapon stockpile to kill many times the total population of any given nation.

noun

Much more of something than is necessary, appropriate, etc.; esp., an excess of effort in attempting to achieve some end.

noun

(literally) A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.

noun

(idiomatic) An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.

24 hours of TV coverage of the US election verged on overkill.

Should I give you yet more homework, or would that be overkill?

noun

To destroy something with more (nuclear) force than is required.

verb

Origin of overkill