an overly high

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an overly high" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is excessively elevated or above a normal level, often in contexts like pricing, expectations, or standards. Example: "The company set an overly high target for sales this quarter, which may be difficult to achieve."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

But in such negotiations, airlines often start with an overly high number.

The New York Times

But Caray could not hush up, and spoke often at an overly high volume, as if he were too nervous to let the video images hold sway.

The New York Times - Sports

In this case, an overly high value of reaction rate constant in the design of a treatment system would be used.

Water Research

But one factor could chase Johnson out -- if baseball, which bought the attendance-deprived Expos for $120 million earlier this year from Jeffrey Loria, sets an overly high sale price.

The New York Times - Sports

The seven-year prison term was imposed last month after Ms. Tymoshenko was convicted of harming Ukraine by agreeing when she was prime minister to pay an overly high price for Russian natural gas in 2009.

The New York Times

The speaker program, he felt, amounted to a thinly disguised kickback scheme, and he was also concerned that management was pushing an overly high dose of Subsys to first-time patients, despite boldface F.D.A. warnings of the dangers.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

In their study comparing the Ghanaian population in the Netherlands with their counterparts in rural and urban Ghana, Agyemang and colleagues found Ghanaian migrants in the Netherlands to have an overly higher prevalence of overweight and obesity (men 69.1%, women 79.5%) than their urban (men 22.0%, women 50.0%) and rural (men 10.3%, women 19.0%) counterparts in Ghana [ 100].

Globalization and Health

Sloan said he did not consider the price of the Cool-A-Coo overly high.

Los Angeles Times

An overly-high power and fast withdrawal velocity are not beneficial to the continuous growth of columnar grains.

Intermetallics

However, such estimates may provide a simplistic or overly high indicator of adherence.

AIDS and Behavior

Were the backers, who paid almost $2.5m, engaging in a purchase (in which case the risk of failed projects seemed overly high), an act of philanthropy (which seems undercut by a billion-dollar sale), or an investment (but one in which they don't receive a share of the profits)?

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "an overly high", ensure that the context clearly indicates what the level is being compared to. This provides a stronger understanding of why the level is considered excessive.

Common error

Avoid using "an overly high" in situations where the high level is already inherently negative. For example, saying "an overly high number of errors" might be redundant, as errors are generally undesirable by default.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an overly high" functions as a pre-modifying adjective phrase. It describes a noun by indicating that it possesses a quality or attribute (high-ness) to an excessive degree. Ludwig confirms this usage across a variety of contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

37%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Academia

6%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an overly high" is a versatile phrase used to describe something exceeding a normal or acceptable level. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its grammatical structure is straightforward, functioning as an adjective phrase that pre-modifies a noun. It's commonly employed in scientific, news, and formal contexts, and while perfectly correct, it is important to use it judiciously to avoid redundancy or overstatement. Alternatives such as "an excessively high" or "a disproportionately high" can provide subtle shifts in emphasis. Keep in mind that, according to Ludwig, the phrase can signal criticism or concern regarding that elevated level, depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an excessively high

Replaces "overly" with "excessively", emphasizing the degree of being beyond what is necessary or normal.

a disproportionately high

Highlights the imbalance or lack of proper proportion in relation to something else.

an unduly high

Suggests that the level is inappropriately or unjustifiably high.

an unjustifiably high

Focuses on the lack of justification or reason for the elevated level.

an excessively elevated

Similar to "an excessively high", but uses "elevated" to emphasize the raised position or state.

an inordinately high

Implies that the level is beyond what is usual or reasonable.

an unreasonably high

Indicates that the level is not logical or fair.

a remarkably high

Highlights the unusual or noteworthy nature of the elevated level.

a conspicuously high

Emphasizes that the level is easily noticeable and perhaps even problematic.

an abnormally high

Suggests that the level deviates from the normal or expected range.

FAQs

How can I use "an overly high" in a sentence?

You can use "an overly high" to describe something that exceeds a normal or acceptable level, such as "The company set "an overly high" target for sales this quarter" or "The radiation exposure for workers was set at "an overly high" limit".

What are some alternatives to saying "an overly high"?

Alternatives include "an excessively high", "a disproportionately high", or "an unduly high", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "an overly high" and "a very high"?

"An overly high" implies that something is excessively or inappropriately high, whereas "a very high" simply indicates a high level without necessarily implying a negative judgment. The choice depends on whether you want to express concern about the level being excessive.

When is it appropriate to use "an overly high" in formal writing?

It's appropriate to use "an overly high" in formal writing when you need to convey that a certain level or quantity is excessively high and potentially problematic. Ensure that your context provides enough information to justify why the level is considered "overly" high.