How to Use overuse in a Sentence

overuse

1 of 2 verb
  • Gregg agrees that gray has been overused as a whole.
    — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Lighting is often overused at night.
    — Harold Wallace, Space.com, 16 Aug. 2025
  • In some cases, overusing a fine-tooth comb could even backfire.
    — Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Derma rollers must be cleaned properly and not overused.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Magic erasers are another tool that’s easy to overuse.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2026
  • Boucle upholstery is overused—its once-luxe look now feels more gimmicky than chic.
    — Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 31 Dec. 2025
  • However, both can cause side effects if overused.
    — Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Baking soda does not make tomatoes sweeter and can harm plants if overused.
    — Cori Sears, The Spruce, 30 May 2026
  • Dallas’ blue line has more depth in terms of numbers, but its top three producers have been overused.
    — Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
  • But in science, they have been especially overused.
    — Clarissa Brincat, Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026
  • So, if the idea of culture is overused, its importance tells the path to success — or failure.
    — Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2026
  • Sometimes when people love to bake (or to help out in other ways), others take that love as a license to overuse them.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
  • Revenge and Williams say that precision, without overusing heat, is key.
    — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
  • The old Formula One adage that the first person a driver has to beat is their teammate may be overused.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Their answers, unsurprisingly, skew toward once-trending hues that now feel tired and overused.
    — Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
  • Results build gradually, so skipping days or overusing strong formulas can set you back.
    — Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 17 Jan. 2026
  • The fastest ways to lose that hotel feel include overusing plug-ins, which read as synthetic, and mixing too many competing fragrances at once.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026
  • Shea butter and cocoa butter are thick and great ingredients that generally can’t be overused.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Many detox teas contain laxatives like senna, which can cause side effects like diarrhea, cramping, and bloating if overused.
    — Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 3 June 2026
  • Although the word ‘hero’ is greatly overused in today’s society, in my mind, Calvin Duncan is a hero in the truest sense of that word.
    — Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • Annabelle has been in so many movies now, to the point of being overused (the real doll has even been suspected of paranormal activity recently).
    — Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Acting early and avoiding common mistakes like overusing salt or chipping with metal tools reduces damage and injury risk.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 16 Jan. 2026
  • Turning Up the Heat Too High Too Fast High heat has its place, but it is often overused.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
  • When pelvic floor muscles are being overused, used improperly, or are weak, your running gait may be less efficient and powerful, Rogers says.
    — Jordan Smith, Outside, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The word ‘intentional’ is overused, and the act of being intentional is underutilized.
    — Bo Howard, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Rights groups warn the measure, introduced in March 2025, is now being overused by authorities.
    — ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
  • That’s important, since many people make the mistake—both in the gym and daily life—of shrugging their shoulders up to their ears, which overuses the upper traps and elevates the scapula.
    — Jenny McCoy, SELF, 25 Aug. 2025
  • Erie, for example, is one of the communities currently threatening to cut off water access to residents who are overusing water at this time.
    — Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Meanwhile, existing antibiotics have been overused, and resistance has mounted to critical levels.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026
  • Just like credit scores today, which are, at best, meaningful heuristics but are grossly overused, the technology sometimes became a substitute for common sense.
    — Brian Hamilton, Fortune, 1 Sep. 2025

overuse

2 of 2 noun
  • His liver was worn out from decades of overuse.
    — Nicholas Thompson, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Tech tools can also help to cut back on tech overuse.
    — ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Like any sport, overuse can lead to injury, too.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Some injuries may occur over time due to overuse of the knee.
    — Jonathan Cluett, Md, Verywell Health, 9 Nov. 2023
  • But grammar geeks have complained of its overuse for many years.
    — WSJ, 10 Mar. 2023
  • Don't cash in some of your body's resilience on an overuse injury.
    — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Note that a little goes a long way, so finer hair types should be wary of overuse.
    — Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 22 July 2023
  • Rules and fines had discouraged overuse.
    — Will Glovinsky, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026
  • But that won’t make up for past years of drought or the decades of overuse of river water.
    — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2023
  • The styles also protect the hair from the overuse of heat from styling tools such as flat irons.
    — Chandelis Duster, CNN, 26 Sep. 2023
  • But even a good habit can cross the line into compulsive overuse.
    — Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2022
  • Maita’s first stress fracture was the result of overuse.
    — Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
  • In fact, his colon had burst from opioid overuse, leaving him fighting for his life.
    — Julie Jordan, Peoplemag, 29 Oct. 2023
  • Customer service woes due to overuse of AI.
    — Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Tennessee has seen a small but concerning rise in signs of overuse.
    — ABC News, 17 June 2026
  • Parents are encouraged to watch for signs of overuse and step in when needed.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Dec. 2025
  • Amid public blowback over kids' overuse of social media apps, some have made changes.
    — Stephanie Mlot, PCMAG, 16 Sep. 2022
  • The group wants prominent warnings about the dangers of cannabis overuse.
    — Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 6 Feb. 2026
  • There are concerns that overuse could hinder him in the postseason.
    — Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
  • But in recent decades, pathogens have become resistant to many of these drugs due to overuse.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
  • The guidelines also warn against the overuse of topical steroids.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The actor says much of his mental state at the time was a result of an overuse of testosterone cream.
    — Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Innisfree's serum comes with a handy dropper, which helps to avoid overuse.
    — Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
  • Other research, though, has found that telemedicine leads to an overuse of antibiotics.
    — David Hogberg, Washington Examiner, 4 June 2020
  • Business was booming so much during his first year that the shop’s dough mixer broke down from overuse.
    — Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Arms starting to ache from overuse of your Dyson AirWrap?
    — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 17 June 2026
  • This supplement can help with joint pains and impairments as a result of overuse.
    — Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2022
  • Doron said people also need to be careful about the overuse of antibiotics.
    — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2023
  • Others didn’t like the overuse of elastic waistbands, which can dig in and cause discomfort.
    — Lacey Muinos, Health, 23 Jan. 2023
  • Those conditions mainly occur due to overuse, such as with playing sports.
    — Yuliya Klochan, Health, 12 Aug. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overuse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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