Overwrought — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Overwrought (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. being in a state of increased activity or agitation

   "became overwrought when she heard that her child was missing"

   similar: agitated, excited, feverish, frenzied, heated, hectic, hyperactive, overactive, in a lather, keyed up
   related: hyperexcited, overexcited, afire, aflutter, aquiver, atingle, anxious, dithery, edgy, het up, high-strung, hyped-up, hyper, jittery, jumpy, nervy, nervous, perturbed, tense, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, upset, uptight, wired
   near: calm, collected, composed, cool, coolheaded, placid, serene, tranquil, undisturbed, unperturbed, unshaken, untroubled, unworried

2. elaborately and often excessively decorated

   "the author's prose is overwrought with purple passages and florid metaphors"

   similar: bedizened, florid, fussy, gingerbread, gingerbreaded, gingerbready, ornate, overdecorated
   related: arabesque, baroque, rococo, extravagant, flamboyant, spectacular, splashy, bedaubed, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud, ostentatious, pretentious, showy, swank, tawdry, elaborate, extreme, adorned, arrayed, beautified, bedecked, decked, decorated, dressed, embellished, enriched, garnished, ornamented, trimmed, flowery, frilly, lacy, enhanced, heightened, intensified, bejeweled, bossed, chased, emblazoned, embossed, embroidered, flounced, fringed, garlanded, gilded, laced, sequined, wreathed
   opposite: austere, plain, severe, stark, unadorned
   near: bare, denuded, exposed, naked, stripped, uncovered, modest, simple, unassuming, unpretentious, conservative, muted, quiet, restrained, subdued, tasteful, toned-down, understated, unobtrusive