overzealous
adjective
over·zeal·ous
ˌō-vər-ˈze-ləs
: too zealous : having or showing too much zeal : excessively eager, enthusiastic, or fervent
overzealous parents
overzealous workers
… another version of the overzealous monitoring that has produced kids who leave for college without ever having crossed the street by themselves.—Peggy Orenstein
The village saw the orders as unwarranted interference from an overzealous state bureaucracy and promptly appealed.—Joe Treen and S. Avery Brown
overzealously
adverb
… has been frequently accused by its critics of acting recklessly, overzealously, and even, at times, illegally.
—Steve Lustgarden
overzealousness
noun
Jewell was annoyed that press descriptions of him always emphasized his "overzealousness"; he considers himself a man of details.
—Marie Brenner
Cite this Entry
“Overzealous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overzealous. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.
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