as in exaggeration
the representation of something in terms that go beyond the facts
a claim to worldwide fame is a bit of an overstatement on the part of that nightclub
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Recent Examples of overstatement
That appears to be an overstatement.
—
Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
That might sound like an overstatement of Murray’s abilities.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2026
Rather than feeling stuck between silence and overstatement, the most effective leaders are taking a more intentional approach.
—Teresa Hopke, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
With job growth averaging just shy of 40,000 in that period, an overstatement that size would equate to payroll losses of about 20,000 per month.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
The look leaned into tuxedo influences without overstatement — a long jacket line, uninterrupted black trousers and a graphic monochrome balance.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 30 Nov. 2025
Everyone used to say that the horns sound like kazoos on that record, which is a slight overstatement.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Advertisement But whether the peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand becomes a genuine achievement or an overstatement, experts say, is still up in the air.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
That might sound like an overstatement of Murray’s abilities.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2026
Rather than feeling stuck between silence and overstatement, the most effective leaders are taking a more intentional approach.
—Teresa Hopke, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
With job growth averaging just shy of 40,000 in that period, an overstatement that size would equate to payroll losses of about 20,000 per month.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
The look leaned into tuxedo influences without overstatement — a long jacket line, uninterrupted black trousers and a graphic monochrome balance.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 30 Nov. 2025
Everyone used to say that the horns sound like kazoos on that record, which is a slight overstatement.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Advertisement But whether the peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand becomes a genuine achievement or an overstatement, experts say, is still up in the air.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overstatement
Noun
-
The lurch from declaring fears about Iran to be mere media exaggerations to invoking imminent threat, from demanding the Nobel Peace Prize to luxuriating in lethality, is the essence of the autocrat’s monopoly on unpredictability.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The team has specifically and methodically combed through Moore’s previous statements point by point to expose any potential lie or exaggeration.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The result has been something like an inverse caricature of Republican complaints about diversity, equity, and inclusion, a system in which the incompetent rise not because of their abilities but because of their sycophancy.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
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There are some surprise attractions too, from the Cartoon Museum, which documents the history of British cartoons, caricatures and comics, to the spectacular Byzantine-style Fitzrovia Chapel with its gold mosaic ceiling where King Charles recorded his Christmas broadcast in 2024.—
Siobhan Grogan,
TheWeek,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The bill’s supporters rely on conspiratorial hyperbole that would make a MAGA podcaster proud.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Political hyperbole lowers the threshold of what the public can imagine as legitimate, as allowable.—
Stephanie A,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overstatement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overstatement. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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