Dictionary entry overview: What does overkill mean? (Note meaning/sense #2)

• OVERKILL (noun)
The noun OVERKILL has 2 senses:

1. the capability to obliterate a target with more weapons (especially nuclear weapons) than are required
2. any effort that seems to go farther than would be necessary to achieve its goal



Dictionary entry details

• OVERKILL (noun)

Sense 1 overkill [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The capability to obliterate a target with more weapons (especially nuclear weapons) than are required

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("overkill" is a kind of...):

capability; capableness (the quality of being capable -- physically or intellectually or legally)

Sense 2 overkill [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Any effort that seems to go farther than would be necessary to achieve its goal

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("overkill" is a kind of...):

effort; elbow grease; exertion; sweat; travail (use of physical or mental energy; hard work