WordGarden.iooveractive
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˌəʊvərˈæktɪv/
US
- /ˈoʊvərˈæktɪv/
Meanings
Adjective
too energetic, restless, or unable to stay still
producing too many thoughts, ideas, or worries
functioning more than normal, especially of an organ or body system
Beyond the definition
Imagine a puppy that just cannot sit still, always running, jumping, and needing attention. That gives the basic idea of "overactive." The word describes a person, body part, system, or even the mind when it is more active than normal or more active than is helpful. It can talk about behavior, as with an overactive child, or about the mind, as with an overactive imagination. It is also common in health contexts, such as an overactive bladder or an overactive thyroid.
"Overactive" describes someone or something that is working, moving, or reacting more than normal. It is often used for people, especially children, who seem to have too much energy and find it hard to sit still, stay calm, or slow down. For example, you might say a child is overactive if they are always running around, talking, and struggling to settle.
But the word is not only about people. It is also used for parts of the body or for the mind when they do too much. An overactive bladder causes a sudden or frequent need to urinate. An overactive thyroid makes the body work faster than usual. An overactive imagination can make someone picture things very strongly or worry about things that are not really there.
The main idea is that the level of activity is higher than what is usual, healthy, or comfortable in that situation. The word often suggests that this extra activity is causing a problem or making life harder. So whether it describes a child full of nonstop energy, a mind that will not rest, or a body system working too hard, "overactive" points to activity that has gone beyond a normal level.
Examples
- 1
Children
The teacher planned shorter activities for the overactive children.
- 2
Racing thoughts
My mind gets overactive at night, and I start thinking about everything I need to do.
- 3
Imagination
She has an overactive imagination and sometimes worries about problems that are not real.
- Phrasean overactive imagination
a tendency to imagine too many things, often worries or dangers
- 4
Medical symptom
He went to the doctor because an overactive bladder kept waking him up.
- Domainan overactive bladder
a bladder that makes someone need to urinate often or suddenly
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Thyroid
Blood tests showed that her thyroid was overactive.
- Domainan overactive thyroid
a thyroid gland that produces too many hormones
- 6
Immune system
The medicine is used to calm an overactive immune system.
See also
Similar
- hyperactive
- excessively active
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- underactive
- sluggish
Used with (collocations)
- overactive bladder
- overactive thyroid
- overactive imagination
- overactive immune system
Word family
Explore
- hyperactivity
- dysregulation
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- overactiveadjective