overplay

verb over·play \ ˌō-vər-ˈplā \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Examples: overplay in a Sentence

Definition of overplay

transitive verb

1 a : to present (a dramatic role) extravagantly : exaggerate

b : to place too much emphasis on

2 : to rely too much on the strength of —usually used in the phrase overplay one's hand

3 : to strike a golf ball beyond (a putting green)

intransitive verb

: to exaggerate a part or effect

See overplay defined for English-language learners

See overplay defined for kids

Examples of overplay in a Sentence

The network news overplayed the story just to get good ratings.
He overplayed the death scene.

Recent Examples of overplay from the Web

But there’s no way to overplay the fact that a team of literal castoffs stormed through its very first NHL season and into the Stanley Cup Final.

— chris korman, For The Win, "We'll always remember the inexplicable and incomparable Golden Knights," 8 June 2018
Fromm’s production struggles mightily with the latter, with some scenes overplayed and some stiff, but the difficulty of establishing a consistent tone starts with the script.

— chris jones, chicagotribune.com, "'Bull in a China Shop': At Mount Holyoke, a remarkable woman changed education," 1 June 2018
But critics said the auto industry was overplaying the potential harm.

— megan geuss, Ars Technica, "EPA close to finish line on rolling back auto emissions standards," 31 May 2018
Neither the comedy nor the uncanny Trump-ian relevance is overplayed.

— charles mcnulty, latimes.com, "For the Berkeley Rep revival of 'Angels in America,' the play is the thing," 29 May 2018
The elements are in place for a decent little movie, but Loach overplays everything, offering nothing in the way of surprises.

— bill goodykoontz, azcentral, "Coming-of-age drama 'Measure of a Man' doesn't measure up, despite Donald Sutherland," 10 May 2018
McLemore's presence as the SEC's top rim protector gave Auburn's quick defenders free rein to overplay passing lanes and take chances.

— AL.com, "Alabama, Auburn both have a lot on the line this weekend," 5 Feb. 2018
Scriabin’s The Poem of Ecstasy may be overplayed (not to mention overwrought), but Canellakis salvaged it for the ears of the jaded.

— peter dobrin, Philly.com, "Karina Canellakis at Curtis Institute stuns with precision in bold selection," 30 Apr. 2018
Brown resisted the urge to overplay Joel Embiid, trusted Simmons to actually play point guard, and defended Markelle Fultz at every turn before working him back in to the lineup.

— the crossover staff, SI.com, "The Crossover's 2018 NBA Awards: A Rookie of the Year Battle for the Ages," 11 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'overplay.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of overplay

1767

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

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OVERPLAY Defined for English Language Learners

overplay

verb

Definition of overplay for English Language Learners

: to give too much attention to (something) : to make (something) seem more important than it really is
: to show too much emotion when acting in a play, movie, etc.