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Definition of overearnestness

overearnestness

/ˌoʊvərˈɜːrnəstnəs/
o · ver · ear · nest · ness
Adverb:overearnestly
•
Adjective:overearnest
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overearnestness Lexical Profile

overearnestness Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The quality or state of being excessively serious, intense, or sincere, often to a fault or to the detriment of a situation's natural levity.

Example

"His overearnestness during the casual team gathering made the atmosphere unexpectedly tense."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for overearnestness
Antonyms
View all antonyms for overearnestness

• Rhymes for overearnestness

• Nearby Words

overeagerly
overeagerness
overearnestly
overearnestness
overeat
overeater
overeating

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed by combining the prefix 'over-' (indicating excess), the root 'earnest' (from Old English 'eornost', meaning zeal or intense seriousness), and the nominalizing suffix '-ness'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Overearnestness. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/overearnestness
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