What does "overtime" mean?
Working time outside of one's regular hours.
Overtime
/ˈəʊ.və.taɪm/ adv, noun, prep_phrase, verb
adv, noun, prep_phrase, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Working time outside of one's regular hours.
- Grammar: overtime is listed as adv, noun, prep_phrase, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: additional, additional period, anchor watch, bit.
- Useful contrasts: normal, normal hours, normal play.
- Usage evidence: I'm afraid you have to work overtime.
How to use "overtime"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "overtime" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "overtime" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "overtime" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "overtime" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "overtime" is acting as adv, noun, prep_phrase, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "additional" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "overtime", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Working time outside of one's regular hours. uncountable
"Workers are usually paid extra for working overtime."
- 2 work done in addition to regular working hours wordnet
- 3 The rate of pay, usually higher, for work done outside of or in addition to regular hours. uncountable
- 4 playing time beyond regulation, to break a tie wordnet
- 5 An extra period of play when a contest has a tie score at the end of regulation. US, countable
"That last-second shot ties the game 99-99 and sends it to overtime!"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A period of time longer than scheduled. countable, uncountable
"Little need be said about the remainder of the run; the Dumfries-Annan and Annan-Carlisle times are very sharp with such loads, and the driver was just observing them, with nothing in hand, though overtime at stations made us late into Carlisle."
Verb
- 1 To measure something incorrectly, as taking more time than it actually did. transitive
"With automatic timing, overtiming is virtually impossible. However, there are inherent inaccuracies in manual timing of telephone messages which, on the average, tend toward overtiming messages […]"
Adverb
- 1 Exceeding regular working hours. not-comparable
- 2 Beyond the normal or usual extent. not-comparable
"He worked his mighty money-spinner overtime."
Adverb
- 1 beyond the regular time wordnet
Prep_phrase
- 1 Misspelling of over time. alt-of, misspelling
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I'm afraid you have to work overtime."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "overtime"?
Common synonyms include: additional, additional period, anchor watch, bit, day shift, dogwatch.
How do you use "overtime" in a sentence?
I'm afraid you have to work overtime.
How do you pronounce "overtime"?
Pronounced /ˈəʊ.və.taɪm/.
Etymology
From over- + time.