Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Weighing more than is considered normal, desirable, or healthy: The word "overweight" describes a person or thing that exceeds a standard or recommended weight. For a person, this often refers to having more body fat than is considered healthy for one's height.
   • Exceeding a permitted or standard weight: "Overweight" can also describe an object, such as luggage or a shipment, that weighs more than an allowed limit.

2. Noun:

   • Excessive or extra weight: The state or condition of weighing too much. It refers to the property of having weight above a standard.
   • Excess body fat: Specifically, the condition of having more body fat than is considered optimal for health.

Usage and Examples

• Adjective:

  • The doctor said I am slightly overweight and should exercise more.
  • Your suitcase is overweight; you will have to pay an extra fee at the airport.
  • He has struggled with being overweight since childhood.

• Noun:

  • Carrying extra overweight can put a strain on your heart.
  • The overweight of the package resulted in higher shipping costs.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Clinical vs. Common Use: In medical contexts, "overweight" is a specific classification based on Body Mass Index (BMI), distinct from "obese." In everyday language, it is often used more generally.
• Sensitivity: When describing people, "overweight" is generally considered a more neutral and clinical term than "fat," though context and tone are important.
• "To be overweight": This is the standard phrasing to describe the state.
  • The study focused on children who are overweight.

Variants and Related Words

• Overweight (verb, archaic/rare): To outweigh; to be heavier than. (e.g., )
• Overweightness (noun, rare): The state of being overweight.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Heavy, corpulent, stout, portly, chubby, plump.
• Noun: Heaviness, fatness, corpulence, portliness.

Antonyms

• Adjective: Underweight, skinny, thin, slender.
• Noun: Underweight, thinness.

Related Phrases and Collocations

• Morbidly overweight: An older term similar to "morbidly obese," indicating a very high and dangerous level of excess weight.
• Overweight and obesity: A common paired phrase in public health discussions.
• Overweight baggage/luggage: Standard phrase for luggage exceeding airline weight limits.

Adjective

1. usually describes a large person who is fat but has a large frame to carry it

Noun

1. the property of excessive fatness