WordValeoverheating
an economy growing too fast, fueling inflation
In more detail
1. (noun) a situation in which something becomes too hot and stops working properly, or is damaged by heat
2. (verb) to become too hot or to make something too hot
Examples
- 1. The engine overheating caused the car to break down on the highway.
- 2. If you leave your phone in the sun, it will overheat.
How to use overheating
Overheating refers to a temperature rising dangerously above safe operating levels, causing malfunction or damage. As a noun, it describes the condition itself; as a verb, it describes the process of reaching that state. It is commonly used with mechanical systems (engines, computers) and can be literal (physical heat) or figurative (economy, tensions).
Common phrases
- engine overheating
- avoid overheating
- risk of overheating
- overheating problem
- prevent overheating
- overheating issues
Synonyms
overheating · excessive heat · thermal damage · heat stress · burning out
Opposites
cooling · chilling · undercooling
Word family
overheat (verb) · overheated (adjective) · overheater (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use 'over-heat' as a hyphenated form unnecessarily in writing; the standard modern form is 'overheat' without a hyphen.
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