Examples of overact in a Sentence
His tendency to overact made his performance less realistic.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sukowa seems to have been encouraged to overact, perhaps overcompensating for the film’s general listlessness.
—
Pat Padua, Washington Post, 7 June 2023
If the blood levels are too high, the immune system can overact, causing pain, swelling and fatigue — symptoms often seen with Lyme disease.
—Caroline Hopkins, NBC News, 14 May 2023
The standout story features the wily, overacting Minna Nordstrom, née Vera Prebble, who secures herself a star contract (and forces the merger of several studios) by blackmailing every producer with a secret liquor stash.
—Boris Kachka, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2023
However overacted, Goerke’s Ortrud delivered the vocal goods, by turns scorching and smoldering, with mannish chest voice at moments.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 30 Mar. 2023
Still, Freeman is the only performer here who doesn’t overact.
—Pat Padua, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2023
Evan Peters, who has shown a tendency to overact in projects he’s done for Ryan Murphy, contributes some of his best work here as the low-key Detective Zabel, who also takes an interest in Mare.
—oregonlive, 4 Aug. 2021
This was especially the case in the Vivaldi, Rachlin overacting the part of conductor-soloist.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 19 Oct. 2019
Harrison has mastered the ability to overact, ever so slightly, so as to clue in the audience to Luce’s code-switching among his many roles: student, friend, child, self.
—Nora McGreevy, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2019
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Pat Padua, Washington Post, 7 June 2023
If the blood levels are too high, the immune system can overact, causing pain, swelling and fatigue — symptoms often seen with Lyme disease.
—Caroline Hopkins, NBC News, 14 May 2023
The standout story features the wily, overacting Minna Nordstrom, née Vera Prebble, who secures herself a star contract (and forces the merger of several studios) by blackmailing every producer with a secret liquor stash.
—Boris Kachka, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2023
However overacted, Goerke’s Ortrud delivered the vocal goods, by turns scorching and smoldering, with mannish chest voice at moments.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 30 Mar. 2023
Still, Freeman is the only performer here who doesn’t overact.
—Pat Padua, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2023
Evan Peters, who has shown a tendency to overact in projects he’s done for Ryan Murphy, contributes some of his best work here as the low-key Detective Zabel, who also takes an interest in Mare.
—oregonlive, 4 Aug. 2021
This was especially the case in the Vivaldi, Rachlin overacting the part of conductor-soloist.
—Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 19 Oct. 2019
Harrison has mastered the ability to overact, ever so slightly, so as to clue in the audience to Luce’s code-switching among his many roles: student, friend, child, self.
—Nora McGreevy, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2019
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overact.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1611, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near overact
Cite this Entry
“Overact.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overact. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
overact
verb
over·act
ˌō-və-ˈrakt 
1
: to act more than is necessary
2
: to overact a part
3
: to exaggerate in acting
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