Overimproving

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Making changes to enhance or fix something beyond what is required or beneficial
2. Going beyond reasonable enhancements by adding too many improvements or modifications
3. Applying excessive effort to refine or upgrade something more than needed or helpful

Etymology: Overimproving is a plain formation: the prefix "over-", meaning excessively, attached to "improving", the present participle of "improve". The verb "improve" came into English in the 1500s as a variant of "approve" in its older sense of making profitable use of land, so an improved field was one put to better use. Over-prefixed verbs like this are built freely as needed, and "overimproving" is a modern, transparent coinage with no separate history of its own.

Synonyms: overenhancing, overdeveloping, overrefining, overperfecting, excessively improving

Antonyms: underimproving, underdeveloping, neglecting, deteriorating, underperforming