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overprecise

overprecise

1 7.3
Being more exact than needed
  • adjective
  • /ˌoʊvərprɪˈsaɪs/
: excesivamente preciso
  • The report was so overprecise that it made understanding the main ideas difficult.

Examples

  • She found his overprecise language to be more annoying than helpful during the discussion.

  • S. Lorenzo held for him the authority of an example, and it did not occur to him to ask overprecise questions about when it was built.

    Academic text (2005)
  • His overprecise instructions confused the team instead of helping them.

Synonyms

fussy
vsoverprecise
6 5.0

Having too many small details makes it look crowded

is about excessive exactness rather than a cluttered detailed look
overcomplicated
vsoverprecise
1 6.2

More complex than it needs to be

focuses on extra exactness rather than overall unnecessary complexity
overdeliberate
vsoverprecise
1 8.6

Too careful and slow in a way that seems not natural

relates to extra exactness rather than prolonged careful action
overelaborate
vsoverprecise
1 7.6

Too complicated and full of detail that is not needed

emphasizes extra exactness rather than general extra detail
hair-splittingly precise
vsoverprecise
  • Informal
8.1

Too careful about small details when it is not needed

focuses on needing more exactness than needed

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Not specific and including most people or cases

13 5.5

Not exact or clear enough to be useful

How Precise

overprecise
1 7.3
precise
271 3.6
approximate
32 3.9
imprecise
13 5.5

Surface Forms

overprecise positive

Morphology

overprecise = precise (transparent) = over + precise

The productive prefix 'over-' (meaning 'excessively') attaches directly to the ordinary adjective 'precise', giving a predictable meaning.

Etymology

Overprecise starts with over- meaning 'too much' and ends with precise meaning 'exact', the same root as precision. So overprecise describes giving more exact detail than is needed.