- to write (something) in an excessively ornate or prolix style
- to write too much about (someone or something)
- to write on top of (other writing)
- to record on a storage medium, such as a magnetic disk, thus destroying what was originally recorded there
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
o•ver•write
(ō′vər rīt′),USA pronunciation v., -wrote, -writ•ten, -writ•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
v.t.
- to write in too elaborate, burdensome, diffuse, or prolix a style:He overwrites his essays to the point of absurdity.
- to write in excess of the requirements, esp. so as to defeat the original intention:That young playwright tends to overwrite her big scenes.
- to write on or over;
cover with writing:a flyleaf overwritten with a dedication.
v.i.
- to write too elaborately:The problem with so many young authors is that they tend to overwrite.
- over- + write 1690–1700
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
overwrite /ˌəʊvəˈraɪt/ vb ( -writes, -writing, -wrote, -written)
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