0 much more of something than is needed, resulting in less effectiveness:
Should I add an explanation, or would that be overkill?
1 much more of something than is needed or suitable:
Running so fast with the competition so far behind might seem like overkill, but that’s Gardner.
Reviewers will inevitably complain that the notes swamp the text or that there has been editorial overkill, or that the notes are unnecessarily didactic.
He ended up being trapped in an early informational overkill.
The development of the chapters is quite systematic - to the limit of didactic overkill.
Therpapeutic overkill or elegant management for selected patients at risk?
The inputs chapter was somewhat better, although the listing of individuals and organizations supportive of the legislation was an overkill.
Such a large dictionary is probably overkill, and in fact, it may even be the case that it uselessly slows down processing, by proposing extremely rare (although probably valid) words.
Knowledge of psychrometric principles can be used to avoid false economy or overkill.
But the rhetorical overkill could become counterproductive.