English edit

Etymology edit

over- +‎ apply

Verb edit

overapply (third-person singular simple present overapplies, present participle overapplying, simple past and past participle overapplied)

  1. To apply to excess.
    • 1999, Steven Pinker, Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language:
      German speakers, like English speakers, are prone to overapplying the weak suffix (-t) to irregular verbs, resulting in errors.