overkill
Way too much
Overkill is excessive force or effort beyond what's needed to accomplish something.
The term originated in nuclear strategy, describing destructive capacity far exceeding what would destroy a target.
Now it applies broadly to any disproportionate response: Bringing three lawyers to a traffic court hearing is overkill.
The word often carries mild criticism—suggesting waste, overreaction, or lack of restraint.
Surpassing reasonable bounds
- disproportionateNot properly scaled
- over-the-topExcessively dramatic or extravagant
- unnecessaryNot essential or required
- overdoneExcessive in degree
exaggerated · overreaction · overzealous · overblown · extravagant · immoderate · gratuitous · superfluous
Overwhelming water overflow
- delugeSevere overflow of water
- avalancheRapid mountain snow collapse
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
- inundationOverwhelming surge of water
onslaught · barrage · blitz · overwhelming · smothering · swamping · drowning · engulfing
Of atomic energy
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- firepowerCombat weapon effectiveness
- arsenalStockpile of munitions
weaponry · bombardment · obliteration · devastating · warhead · deterrence · escalation · strategic
Exceeding what's needed
- repetitiveMarked by recurrence
- duplicativeCreating unnecessary copies
- belaboredExcessively dwelt upon
- overburdenedCarrying more than manageable
overengineered · overbuilt · overcomplicated · overelaborate · overworked · overprocessed · overthought · overspecified
excessive
Surpassing reasonable bounds
- disproportionateNot properly scaled
- over-the-topExcessively dramatic or extravagant
- unnecessaryNot essential or required
overdone · exaggerated · overreaction · overzealous · overblown · extravagant · immoderate · gratuitous · superfluous · unwarranted
flood
Overwhelming water overflow
- delugeSevere overflow of water
- avalancheRapid mountain snow collapse
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
inundation · onslaught · barrage · blitz · overwhelming · smothering · swamping · drowning · engulfing · tsunami
nuclear
Of atomic energy
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- firepowerCombat weapon effectiveness
arsenal · weaponry · bombardment · obliteration · devastating · warhead · deterrence · escalation · strategic · tactical
redundant
Exceeding what's needed
- repetitiveMarked by recurrence
- duplicativeCreating unnecessary copies
- belaboredExcessively dwelt upon
overburdened · overengineered · overbuilt · overcomplicated · overelaborate · overworked · overprocessed · overthought · overspecified · belt-and-suspenders
- overdoingoverdoing, overindulging, excess, overreacting, overspending
- game killsfrag, headshot, killstreak, first blood, elimination
- exaggerationhyperbole, overstatement, exaggeration, magnification, amplification
- excessexcess, too much, excessive, excessiveness, overabundance
- extremenessextreme, excess, intensity, overdose, maximum
- going too faroverstepping, crossing the line, overstep, cross the line, too much
overkillinsufficiency
Shortfall in amount needed
deficiency · underkill · undersupply · deficit · shortage
overkillrestraint
Control over impulses
measured response · moderation · proportionality · sufficiency · adequacy