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Overly vs Unduly - What's the difference?

overly | unduly |

As adverbs the difference between overly and unduly

is that overly is to an excessive degree while unduly is undeservedly, not warranted.

As an adjective overly

is careless; negligent; inattentive; superficial; not thorough.

overly

English

Adverb

(-)
  • To an excessive degree.
    • Parents can be overly protective of their children.
  • *
    • This means, at times, long and perhaps overly discursive discussions of other taxa.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Careless; negligent; inattentive; superficial; not thorough.
    • (Bishop Hall)
  • (obsolete) Excessive; too much.
    • (Coleridge)

    Anagrams

    *

    unduly

    English

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • Undeservedly, not warranted.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
    • , chapter=5, title= A Cuckoo in the Nest , passage=The departure was not unduly prolonged. In the road Mr. Love and the driver favoured the company with a brief chanty running. “Got it?—No, I ain't, 'old on,—Got it? Got it?—No, 'old on sir.”}}
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=8 citation , passage=It was a casual sneer, obviously one of a long line. There was hatred behind it, but of a quiet, chronic type, nothing new or unduly virulent, and he was taken aback by the flicker of amazed incredulity that passed over the younger man's ravaged face.}}