Overwrought

Pronunciation: /oʊvərˈrɔt/

Definitions of overwrought

adjective Overwrought is an adjective that describes someone who is extremely agitated or anxious, or something that is excessively elaborate or complicated.

Example Sentences

A1 She was overwrought with emotion when she received the surprise gift.

A2 The overwrought mother couldn't stop worrying about her child's safety.

B1 The overwrought student struggled to focus on studying for exams.

B2 The overwrought atmosphere in the office was palpable as the deadline approached.

C1 His overwrought reaction to the situation seemed excessive to those around him.

C2 The overwrought political debate left everyone feeling drained and exhausted.

Examples of overwrought in a Sentence

formal The overwrought language in the legal document made it difficult to understand.

informal She was feeling overwrought after a long day at work.

slang I can't deal with all this drama, it's making me feel so overwrought.

figurative The overwrought painting captured the intense emotions of the artist.

Grammatical Forms of overwrought

• past tense: overwrought
• plural: overwroughts
• comparative: more overwrought
• superlative: most overwrought
• present tense: overwrought
• future tense: will be overwrought
• perfect tense: have overwrought
• continuous tense: is overwrought
• singular: overwrought
• positive degree: overwrought
• infinitive: to overwrought
• gerund: overwroughting
• participle: overwrought

Origin and Evolution of overwrought

First Known Use: 1300 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'overwrought' originated from the Middle English word 'overtwrought', which was a combination of the prefix 'over-' meaning excessive and the past participle of the verb 'wrought' meaning worked.

Evolution of the word: Initially, 'overwrought' was used to describe something that was excessively worked or elaborately decorated. Over time, the word evolved to also convey a sense of being excessively agitated or emotional.