overblown

1 of 2

adjective (1)

over·​blown ˌō-vər-ˈblōn How to pronounce overblown (audio)
Synonyms of overblownnext
: past the prime of bloom
overblown roses

overblown

2 of 2

adjective (2)

1
: excessively large in girth : portly
2
: inflated
overblown claims
overblown rhetoric
also : pretentious

Synonyms of overblown

Examples of overblown in a Sentence

Adjective (2) overblown predictions of financial calamity after the company had one bad quarter
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Critics say the danger faced by agents whose names are made public is overblown, almost always limited to harsh and violent words lobbed from behind a laptop or phone screen. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026 The House Un-American Activities Committee was spurred to conduct its own hearings and investigations, adding to the overblown fears of Communist encroachment. Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026 The protagonist, for her part, feels the students were willing participants and finds their accusations tiresome, insisting the modern outcry over power imbalances is overblown. Megan McCluskey, Time, 5 Mar. 2026 Perhaps the biggest tell that the software sell-off may be overblown comes from the stocks themselves, with the overall market broadening out, and the S & P 500 managing to recover following a choppy Monday, a sharp sell-off and recovery Tuesday and strong gains come Wednesday. Sarah Min, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overblown

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

blow entry 3

Adjective (2)

blow entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

circa 1625, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overblown was circa 1625

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Cite this Entry

“Overblown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overblown. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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