overtax

verb

over·​tax ˌō-vər-ˈtaks How to pronounce overtax (audio)
overtaxed; overtaxing

transitive verb

1
: to tax (someone or something) too heavily or beyond what is due
revenues raised through overtaxing the middle class
2
: to lay too heavy a burden or demand upon (someone or something)
exercises that overtax the muscles
overtaxing my patience
A fancy terminal with enough gates for all the planes, a work force that is alternately overtaxed and underemployed, and a high-tech baggage system all create high fixed costs.Marc Levinson et al.
overtaxation noun
Homelessness is worse here than anywhere in the country. The cost of living is out of control. Overtaxation is rampant. Infrastructure is crumbling. Eric Ryan

Examples of overtax in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Recent polling has indicated that Californians feel overtaxed, which would have helped the measure’s backers potentially win in November. Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 25 June 2024 Key among all the designs, therefore, is minimizing weight to avoid overtaxing the batteries—the weakest link among eVTOL systems—especially during takeoffs and while hovering. Steven Ashley, Scientific American, 14 June 2024 But the nation’s electrical grid is aging and overtaxed in some areas. Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 30 May 2024 Soon, she was tasked with figuring out how to transition an entire company to remote work, provide mental health support for employees, and make sure staff didn’t overtax themselves as work and personal time blended. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 2 May 2024 More than 92% — of the 173,000 Detroit homes reviewed — were found to be overtaxed by an average of $3,800. Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 28 Mar. 2024 The situation at the border has become an increasingly critical issue for the 2024 presidential election, as the number of people illegally crossing into the U.S. continues to soar, overtaxing the nation’s immigration system, as well as cities and state across the nation. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024 If Batum and Melton aren't back after the All-Star break, the Sixers might want some extra veteran depth like Young just to soak up minutes and avoid overtaxing their other rotation players. Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 But none of them overtaxed the mind, or indeed taxed it at all. Kyle Smith, WSJ, 6 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overtax.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overtax was in 1607

Dictionary Entries Near overtax

Cite this Entry

“Overtax.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overtax. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

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