WordGarden.iooverfeed
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˌəʊvəfˈiːd/
US
- /ˌoʊvərˈfid/
Meanings
Verb
to give someone or an animal more food than is healthy or necessary
Beyond the definition
Imagine someone who loves their dog so much that they keep filling the bowl again and again. They mean well, but they are giving the animal more food than it needs. That is what overfeed means: to give too much food to a person or animal, often in a way that can cause discomfort or health problems. People often use it when talking about pets, farm animals, or children who are given too much to eat.
To overfeed means to give more food than is needed, especially to a person or an animal. The usual idea is not simply generosity but excess that may cause trouble. If you overfeed a baby, a cat, or farm animals, you may make them sick, overweight, or uncomfortable. The word is commonly used in everyday advice such as "Be careful not to overfeed the fish" or "The vet said we were overfeeding the cat."
The heart of the word is simple: someone keeps giving food past a healthy limit. Because of that, it often carries a warning. A person may think they are being kind, but the result is harmful rather than helpful. In some cases, it can also be used more loosely for giving too much nourishment to something living, such as a plant, though the clearest and most common use is with people and animals.
So this is a practical word for moments when care turns into excess. It describes feeding that goes beyond what is needed and creates a problem instead of helping.
Examples
- 1
Pet care
Please don't overfeed the fish; they only need a little food.
- 2
Vet advice
The vet warned us not to overfeed the puppy with treats.
- 3
Holiday eating
By the end of the holiday, the children were overfed on cake and cookies.
- 4
Plant care
Too much fertilizer can overfeed a plant and damage its roots.
See also
Similar
- feed too much
- stuff
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- overfeed a baby
- overfeed pets
- overfeed fish
Word family
- overfed
- overfeeding
Explore
- portion control
- malnutrition
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- overfeedverb