overkill

Meanings

Noun

• A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.
• An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.
• An unnecessary excess of disposal because of too high criteria of inspection.

Verb

• To destroy something with more (nuclear) force than is required.
• To dispose of too many items because of too high criteria of inspection.
• To do something excessive to achieve a goal.

Origin

• From over- + kill.