Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Containing more than is usual, proper, or desired; excessively full: The primary meaning describes a state where something holds or contains more than its normal, appropriate, or intended capacity.
   • Exceeding demand; glutted: In economic or market contexts, it describes a situation where supply far surpasses demand.

Usage

• The adjective "overfull" is used to describe nouns, indicating an excessive state of fullness. It is often used in both literal and figurative contexts.
• It typically precedes the noun it modifies (e.g., an overfull glass) or follows a linking verb (e.g., The glass is overfull).

Examples

• Literal/Physical Fullness:
  • The overfull trash can spilled onto the floor. (The trash can contained more waste than it was designed to hold.)
  • She felt uncomfortable after the overfull meal. (The meal was excessively large.)
• Figurative/Economic Fullness:
  • The warehouse was overfull with unsold inventory. (The warehouse contained more stock than was needed or could be sold.)
  • An overfull schedule can lead to burnout. (The schedule contains an excessive number of commitments.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be overfull of": This construction emphasizes what the excess consists of, often used figuratively.
  • His speech was overfull of technical jargon. (His speech contained an excessive amount of technical terms.)
• Used in formal or descriptive writing to emphasize excess beyond a standard or healthy limit.

Variants and Related Words

• Overfill (verb): To fill something beyond capacity.
  • Be careful not to overfill the gas tank.
• Overflowing (adjective/participle): Flowing over the brim or limits; very similar in meaning but can imply active spilling.
  • The overflowing river flooded the fields.
• Glutted (adjective): Specifically for markets, meaning oversupplied.
  • The glutted market caused prices to fall.

Synonyms

• Overflowing: Full to the point of spilling over.
• Brimming: Full to the very top.
• Crammed: Packed tightly and completely full.
• Surfeited: Supplied or filled to excess, often to the point of disgust.
• Sated: Fully satisfied, often to excess (usually for appetite or desire).

Antonyms

• Empty: Containing nothing.
• Underfull: Not completely or adequately full (less common).
• Depleted: Reduced in quantity or resources.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Bursting at the seams: An idiom meaning extremely full or crowded, similar to "overfull."
  • The concert hall was bursting at the seams.
• Full to capacity: Completely full, but not necessarily excessively so; "overfull" implies going this capacity.
  • The stadium was full to capacity, but the overfull parking lot caused chaos.

Adjective

1. exceeding demand
   • a glutted market