excessive, immoderate, inordinate, extravagant, exorbitant, extreme mean going beyond a normal limit. excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable.

Excessive exercise can sometimes cause health problems. Any more pudding would simply be excessive.

EXCESSIVE definition: going beyond the usual, necessary, or proper limit or degree; characterized by excess. See examples of excessive used in a sentence.

If you describe the amount or level of something as excessive, you disapprove of it because it is more or higher than is necessary or reasonable.

Definition of excessive adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025 ex•ces•sive (ik ses′ iv), adj. going beyond the usual, necessary, or proper limit or degree; characterized by …

These adjectives mean exceeding a normal, usual, reasonable, or proper limit. Excessive has the widest range: excessive drinking; excessive debt. Immoderate and intemperate denote a lack …

There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the word excessive, five of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

excessive (adjective) excessive /ɛk ˈ sɛsɪv/ adjective Britannica Dictionary definition of EXCESSIVE [more excessive; most excessive] : going beyond what is usual, normal, or proper

Definition of excessive. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels.