over the top
Beyond all moderation
Over the top means excessive, extreme, or beyond reasonable limits.
The phrase comes from World War I, when soldiers went "over the top" of their trenches to attack—a desperate, all-out action.
Now it describes anything that exceeds normal bounds: Her reaction was completely over the top.
Often abbreviated OTT in British usage.
An over-the-top performance is exaggerated or theatrical, sometimes deliberately so for effect.
Furthest from moderate
- outrageousShockingly bad or excessive
- exaggeratedMade larger than reality
- overdoneExcessive in degree
- overblownInflated beyond reasonable proportion
overboard · disproportionate · unrestrained · immoderate · gratuitous · hyperbolic · overwrought · inordinate
extreme
Furthest from moderate
- outrageousShockingly bad or excessive
- exaggeratedMade larger than reality
- overdoneExcessive in degree
overblown · overboard · disproportionate · unrestrained · immoderate · gratuitous · hyperbolic · overwrought · inordinate · extravagant
trench warfare
Combat from fortified ditches
- no man's landUnowned space between enemies
- chargeCost or accusation
- assaultViolent offensive act
offensive · WWI · Somme · Verdun · bayonet · whistle · barrage · infantry · advance · courage
- WWItrenches, no man's land, no mans land, trench warfare, armistice
- combat idiomsstab in the back, dodge a bullet, in the crosshairs, fire away, take a shot
- dressed updressed up, dolled up, decked out, spruced up, gussied up
- excessexcess, too much, excessive, excessiveness, overabundance
- flashyshowy, flamboyant, glitzy, gaudy, garish
- theatricaltheatrical, dramatic, melodramatic, histrionic, hammy
over the topunderstated
Deliberately minimized in expression
restrained · subdued · moderate · toned down · low-key
over the topsubtle
Not immediately obvious
understated · low-key · unobtrusive · quiet · discreet
over the topproportionate
Scaled to fit properly
appropriate · fitting · suitable · in good taste · tasteful
top, over, tops, topped, topple, topping, on top of, topper, overkill