somewhat too much

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "somewhat too much" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express that something is excessive to a certain degree, but not overwhelmingly so. Example: "I enjoyed the meal, but the seasoning was somewhat too much for my taste."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Mary Elizabeth Sell and Devin Alberda offered a zestier attack as the Hot Chocolate leads, though Mr. Alberda pushed somewhat too much at moments.

The New York Times - Arts

Indeed, the early sections of "The Ethics of Belief" are so stern that William James would later characterize Clifford as a "delicious enfant terrible" who defends doxastic self-control "with somewhat too much of robustious pathos in the voice" (1896, 8).

SEP

President Obama's plan provides a balanced approach (albeit relying somewhat too much on spending cuts and not enough on revenue increases), shared sacrifice and real deficit reduction without undermining the fundamental structure of our health care safety net programs.

Huffington Post

In a review for Hi Fi Review, critic Nat Hentoff said the album is "not one of his best" and observed "too little space for Monk's soloing and somewhat too much" for Griffin, whose saxophone cry and timing are more impressive than his solos.

Wikipedia

Information quantity: we will ask participants to rate the quantity of the information displayed in the initial presented scenario by a seven-point Likert-type scale with response options: much too little, somewhat too little, slightly too little, about right amount of information, slightly too much, somewhat too much, much too much.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The thing we did not do well is that we allowed and somewhat encouraged too much exposure to the program.

TechCrunch

FRIDAY, NOV. 19 It was super chilly today, but I wanted to be somewhat comfortable without too much bulk.

The New York Times

Next year, the growth should slow somewhat, but not too much: analysts estimate the earnings growth in the tech sector at 26.0%, I/B/E/S says.

Forbes

Period estimates of 10-year survival that could have been derived in 1985–1989 would also have been somewhat too pessimistic, but much less so than the traditional cohort estimates.

British Journal of Cancer

Still, there might be some selection bias left in the corrected prevalence rates, even after taking body perception and weight status based on self-reported values into account, so that the corrected prevalence rates for overweight and obesity might still be somewhat too low, but much less so than uncorrected rates.

BMC Public Health

(Medical student 2) In contrast to the nurses, who appeared to be able to communicate more personally and emotionally with the patients, the medical students were reluctant and even somewhat frightened of revealing too much about themselves in "in-depth" conversations, even if they claimed to be committed to the well-being of their patients.

BMC Medical Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "somewhat too much" when you want to express that something is excessive to a certain degree, but not overwhelmingly so. It's ideal for situations where a milder critique is appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "somewhat too much" repeatedly in your writing, as it can make your language sound monotonous. Instead, vary your vocabulary with synonyms like "slightly excessive" or "a bit over the top" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "somewhat too much" functions primarily as an adverbial modifier. It qualifies the degree to which something exceeds a certain acceptable or desired limit. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is correct and usable in written English, serving to temper or soften criticism.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "somewhat too much" is a grammatically sound and usable adverbial phrase that indicates a mild degree of excess. As highlighted by Ludwig, it's suitable for expressing a tempered critique across various contexts. While not exceedingly common, it strikes a balance between being critical and being overly harsh, making it useful in scenarios that call for a nuanced evaluation. Its usage spans across News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources, further demonstrating its versatility. If you're looking for alternatives, consider options like "slightly excessive" or "a bit over the top" to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slightly excessive

More direct and straightforward in expressing a mild degree of excessiveness.

somewhat immoderate

Emphasizes a lack of restraint or moderation, similar in meaning but more formal.

a bit excessive

Implies a slightly stronger degree of excessiveness compared to "somewhat too much".

a tad too much

More informal and uses "tad" to indicate a small degree of excessiveness.

a shade excessive

Uses "shade" to indicate a slight degree of excessiveness, similar to "tad".

marginally excessive

More formal and indicates that something is only slightly beyond the acceptable limit.

rather excessive

Uses "rather" to suggest a more noticeable degree of excessiveness.

a little over the top

More informal and emphasizes that something goes beyond what is considered appropriate.

moderately excessive

Indicates a medium degree of excessiveness, slightly stronger than "somewhat".

somewhat superfluous

Shifts the focus to the unnecessary or redundant nature of something, but implies excess.

FAQs

How can I use "somewhat too much" in a sentence?

You can use "somewhat too much" to express that something is slightly excessive. For example, "The seasoning was "somewhat too much" for my taste" or "The movie relied "somewhat too much" on special effects".

What are some alternatives to "somewhat too much"?

Alternatives include "slightly excessive", "a bit excessive", "a little over the top", or "marginally excessive", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is "somewhat too much" grammatically correct?

Yes, "somewhat too much" is grammatically correct. It is an adverbial phrase used to modify a verb or adjective, indicating a degree of excess.

What's the difference between "somewhat too much" and "very excessive"?

"Somewhat too much" implies a milder degree of excess compared to "very excessive". "Very excessive" indicates a significant or substantial level of excessiveness, while "somewhat too much" suggests a lighter, more moderate level.