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Glite Dictionary
💰 To give too much money 🔠 To use too many capitals
to overcapitalize

to overcapitalize

6.3
Write many words in big letters like ALL CAPS
  • verb
  • /ˌoʊvərˈkæpɪˌtaɪz/
  • Texting
translation icon : usar mayúsculas en exceso
  • Avoid overcapitalizing words in formal writing, since excessive capitals reduce readability and appear unprofessional.

Examples

  • Don't overcapitalize your headings!

  • She accidentally overcapitalized the email subject line, making the message look like shouting.

  • Many users overcapitalize headlines on social media to grab attention, but it can seem aggressive.

  • She often overcapitalizes important phrases.

  • Writing an entire email in ALL CAPS can make it look like you are trying to overcapitalize your message.

  • Students should avoid overcapitalizing by using capital letters only when necessary, like at the beginning of sentences.

  • Some authors overcapitalize important terms, which can distract readers from the main message.

Antonyms

lowercase
2 1.8

Written using small letters, not capital letters

How Capitalized

to overcapitalize
  • Texting
6.3
to capitalize
  • US
9 3.0
to lowercase
  • Specialized
1 3.8

Surface Forms

overcapitalize infinitive
overcapitalized past
overcapitalized past participle
overcapitalizing present participle
overcapitalizes third person singular

Morphology

overcapitalize = capitalize (transparent) = over + capital + ize

The structure 'over-' + 'capitalize' clearly yields the meaning 'use capital letters excessively' for learners familiar with 'capitalize'.

Etymology

Overcapitalize can also mean using too many capital letters; here over- means 'too much' and capital refers to the 'head' or big letters of a word. So to overcapitalize a message is to use too many big letters, which often looks like shouting.