überzogen
excessive
Exaggerated or unreasonably strong; more than necessary or appropriate.
EXAMPLE
Seine Reaktion auf den kleinen Fehler war völlig überzogen.
His reaction to the small mistake was completely excessive.
überzogen
excessive / coated / overdrawn
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Meanings
überzogen
coated
Covered with a layer or coating.
EXAMPLE
Die Pralinen sind mit einer dünnen Schicht weißer Schokolade überzogen.
The chocolates are coated with a thin layer of white chocolate.
überzogen
overdrawn
Describes a bank account from which more money has been withdrawn than was available as a balance. The account is in the negative.
EXAMPLE
Mein Konto ist am Ende des Monats meistens leicht überzogen.
My account is usually slightly overdrawn at the end of the month.
Usage tips
Participle as adjective
'Überzogen' (excessive / coated / overdrawn) is the past participle of the verb 'überziehen' (to overdraw; to coat; to exaggerate). The different meanings of the adjective derive directly from the meanings of the verb: ein Konto überziehen (to overdraw an account), etwas mit Schokolade überziehen (to coat something with chocolate), or eine Kritik überziehen (to make criticism excessive).
EXAMPLE
Er neigt dazu, seine Geschichten stark zu überziehen.
He tends to exaggerate his stories a lot.
Context clues
You can recognize which meaning is intended from the noun: If it refers to a 'Konto' (account), it means 'in the negative/overdrawn'. If it refers to abstract things like 'Preise' (prices) or 'Kritik' (criticism), it means 'exaggerated/excessive'. If it is used with 'mit' (with) and a material, it means 'covered/coated'.
EXAMPLE
Die Preise in diesem Restaurant sind völlig überzogen.
The prices in this restaurant are completely excessive.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'übertrieben' (exaggerated/excessive), the word is often combined with abstract nouns. Common examples are: überzogene Preise (excessive prices), überzogene Forderungen (excessive demands), or eine überzogene Kritik (excessive criticism).
EXAMPLE
Seine Forderung nach einer Gehaltserhöhung um 50% war überzogen.
His demand for a 50% salary increase was excessive.
Fixed preposition
When 'überzogen' means 'bedeckt' (covered/coated), it is almost always used with the preposition 'mit' (with) and the material of the coating. The structure is: mit etwas überzogen sein (to be coated/covered with something).
EXAMPLE
Die alten Möbel waren mit einer dicken Staubschicht überzogen.
The old furniture was covered with a thick layer of dust.
Context: bank account
This meaning is specific to the financial context and is used only in connection with 'das Konto' (the account). You can indicate the amount with the preposition 'um' (by).
EXAMPLE
Mein Konto ist am Ende des Monats oft um etwa 50 Euro überzogen.
My account is often overdrawn by about 50 euros at the end of the month.
Compare with
überzogen vs unangemessen
inappropriate / excessive
Both adjectives can criticize a price or demand. “Unangemessen” means that the amount does not fit the situation or is not justified; “überzogen” emphasizes particularly strong exaggeration. A moderately excessive amount can be unangemessen, while “überzogen” usually sounds stronger.
überzogen
Der Preis von 200 Euro für die kurze Fahrt war völlig überzogen.
The €200 price for the short ride was completely excessive.
unangemessen
Der Preis von 30 Euro für die kurze Fahrt war unangemessen.
The €30 price for the short ride was inappropriate.
In real life
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