Definition

Describing a situation where more students have signed up for a course or program than there are available spots.

Example

The class was overenrolled, so many students had to be turned away.

Conversation

Did you hear that the class is overenrolled this semester?

Yeah, I was surprised when I tried to sign up and couldn't get in.

It's crazy how many students are interested this year.

I guess it's a popular subject, but they really need to manage the numbers better.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Overenrolled → It is formed from "over-" (meaning excessively) and "enroll" (from Old French *enroller*, meaning to register or list). The word "overenrolled" means to have registered or listed excessively, typically referring to students in a course or program.

Memory Tip

Think of being registered 'excessively' ('over-') in a program or class — that's what overenrolled means.

Visually Confused Words