Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to overpolice

to overpolice

7.9
To punish people too harshly for small rule breaks, often by police or other authorities
  • verb
  • /ˌoʊvərˈpəˌliːs/
translation icon : sobrerregular
  • Some communities feel that the authorities overpolice their neighborhoods, leading to tension and mistrust.

Examples

  • The city council debated whether new policies would overpolice public spaces and limit personal freedoms.

  • The authorities overpolice the neighborhood.

  • Critics argue that schools should not overpolice students for minor rule violations.

  • Many communities feel they are overpoliced by local law enforcement.

  • Many communities feel that the police tend to overpolice minority neighborhoods, leading to distrust.

  • Critics argue that schools should not overpolice student behavior with excessive rules and regulations.

  • After the protests, local leaders expressed concerns that law enforcement would overpolice gatherings in their area.

Synonyms

to crack down
vsto overpolice
63 3.8

To take strong action to stop illegal or wrong behavior

enforces rules with excessive strictness rather than measured proportionate force
to overreach
vsto overpolice
15 6.2

To go beyond what you are allowed to do

enforces rules too strictly rather than merely exceeding authority

How Strict

to militarize
11 7.3
to overpolice
7.9
to crack down
63 3.8
to police
50 3.1

Surface Forms

overpolice infinitive
overpoliced past
overpoliced past participle
overpolicing present participle
overpolices third person singular

Morphology

overpolice = police (transparent) = over + police

The meaning of 'overpolice' is directly derived from 'police' with the prefix 'over' indicating excessiveness.

Etymology

Overpolice comes from over- meaning 'too much' and police meaning 'to keep order' or 'enforce rules'. Like overcook or overwork, it means trying to control or enforce rules too strictly, so overpolice means to enforce rules too strictly.