Overstuffed

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈəʊvəstʌft/

Definitions

1. Filled beyond reasonable capacity, leading to awkwardness or strain, especially within items like soft furnishings or storage
2. Having an overflowing quality that causes bulkiness and may detract from both function and aesthetics in various applications
3. Filled excessively to the point of discomfort or inefficiency, particularly in furniture or containers

Etymology: Overstuffed is about as plain as English compounds get: "over-" added to "stuffed", the past participle of "stuff", meaning packed full. The sense the dictionary gives, filled to the point of discomfort or inefficiency, comes from ordinary talk about packing a bag or cramming a cushion too full. The word's furniture sense is tied to a specific product. An overstuffed armchair was one padded so thickly that it sagged softly under the sitter, and the American furniture maker La-Z-Boy became closely associated with that style of seat. Used of chairs and sofas, the term describes deep, cushioned comfort, a meaning that runs almost opposite to the sense of excess and strain in its parts. The same two-part pattern appears in other "over-" compounds, such as overcooked or overdressed, where the prefix signals too much of a good thing. Overstuffed simply applies that logic to upholstery and containers.

Synonyms: overfilled, packed

Antonyms: emptied, underfilled