overpayment

noun

over·​pay·​ment ˌō-vər-ˈpā-mənt How to pronounce overpayment (audio)
plural overpayments
: payment that exceeds what is necessary
overpayment of taxes
… implemented electronic payrolls for all employees to prevent overpaymentJocelyn Brumbaugh
also : an amount that is paid in excess
… two taxpayers could not get refunds of tax overpayments dating back more than four years … Samantha McCaughren

Examples of overpayment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Changes to phone line services, reinstatement of overpayment rules and closure of internal departments actioned by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have all come under scrutiny in recent months. Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025 Beneficiaries face long waits, overpayment issues The plaintiffs include seven individuals whose experiences, including long customer service waits and, in some cases, demands to repay large sums to the Social Security Administration, are detailed in the complaint. Lorie Konish, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025 Social Security is clawing back overpayments In late March, Social Security announced another rule change: The agency would withhold all future benefit payments to Americans who have received overpayments until the money is repaid. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025 In a major policy shift effective March 27, the SSA will once again withhold 100 percent of Social Security payments to recover overpayments. Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overpayment

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overpayment was in 1585

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Cite this Entry

“Overpayment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overpayment. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

Legal Definition

overpayment

noun
over·​pay·​ment
ˈō-vər-ˌpā-mənt
: payment in excess of what is due

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