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overgenerous

overgenerous

1 6.1
Giving more than is fair or needed
  • adjective
  • /ˌoʊvərˈdʒɛnərəs/
translation icon : excesivamente generoso
  • "This is overgenerous.

Examples

  • I think comrade Commissar's been overgenerous.

  • Unnecessary or overgenerous protection will have to be removed, and production incentives shifted away from domestic-market-oriented to export-oriented production if production for foreign markets is to be significantly increased.

    Academic text (1998)
  • But as I moved through the country, I realized that she had often been overgenerous: wordy, even.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Dissecting Gotham's budget, it is hard to know where the malign influence of the city's over-powerful civil service unions leaves off and the crushing burden of its overgenerous social welfare spending takes up.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Her friends always thought she was overgenerous when she treated everyone to dinner.

  • The teacher handed out overgenerous praise for the students' efforts during the project.

  • When the charity event received an overgenerous donation, the organizers were thrilled and quickly planned to help even more people.

Synonyms

lavish
vsovergenerous
59 5.5

Rich and full of expensive things, like a large party or home

is about impractical excess in giving rather than richness or luxury
extravagant
vsovergenerous
26 6.0

Very strong and not controlled when showing feelings or actions

is narrower, pointing specifically to giving more than is reasonable
too-generous
vsovergenerous
11 5.1

Giving more help or money than is needed

is the same idea but expressed with different wording
generous to a fault
vsovergenerous
1 6.4

Very kind in a way that causes problems for the person giving

frames the same excess as generally unwise rather than merely large
unstinting
vsovergenerous
1 7.7

Giving a lot without holding back

interprets that unrestricted giving as more than is reasonable
munificent
vsovergenerous
  • Formal
1 9.1

Very generous and giving large gifts of money to others

sees that large giving as unreasonable excess rather than neutral largesse
overindulgent
vsovergenerous
1 7.0

Giving someone, especially a child, too many things or too much freedom

applies to excessive giving in general rather than permissive spoiling
unsparing
vsovergenerous
1 7.0

Very generous and not holding back with help or praise

focuses on giving seen as overly excessive rather than unreserved support
unstinted
vsovergenerous
8.6

Given freely and generously without holding back

treats such free giving as excessive rather than simply abundant

Antonyms

458 1.0

Caring only about yourself and not about other people

26 5.2

Not willing to spend money or give help to others

How Generous

extravagant
26 6.0
overgenerous
1 6.1
generous
328 1.6
frugal
31 4.9
miserly
3 7.9

Surface Forms

overgenerous positive
overgenerouser comparative
overgenerousest superlative

Morphology

overgenerous = generous (transparent) = over + generous

The productive prefix 'over-' meaning 'excessively' combines straightforwardly with 'generous' to yield 'excessively generous'.

Etymology

Overgenerous joins over- meaning 'too much' and generous, which comes from an old word for 'noble' and so 'ready to give'. So overgenerous means 'giving more than is reasonable'.