Grammar and Punctuation The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation

Overly

She is overly concerned about her job. Note that if the opposite were true, no one would say "underly concerned." Make it too concerned or overconcerned.

Many writers think overly is unnecessary and a bit precious. "Making over into overly," says Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words, "is a little like turning soon into soonly. Adding -ly does nothing for over that it could not already do."


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