overpromise

verb

over·​prom·​ise ˌō-vər-ˈprä-məs 

overpromised; overpromising

transitive + intransitive

: to promise more than is possible or realistic

Political candidates always overpromise or else the electorate won't bother to show up at their rallies.

—Michael Gomez

… received sharp criticism for overpromising and underperforming.

—Industry Week

Then a change in the Facebook algorithm punished click bait, which can tend to overpromise on what it links to. Steep traffic drops followed.

—Jim Rutenberg

To close a deal, bad vendors tend to overpromise features that they claim will be added down the line but never materialize.

—Michael Kan

Examples of overpromise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Women should be wary of influencers overpromising on the benefits of hormones and minimizing risks. —Patricia Bencivenga, STAT, 8 Jan. 2026

Few corners of the fashion industry are as overpromised—or as structurally complex to scale—as material innovation. —Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 23 Dec. 2025

Bourne did not overpromise the coach. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025

Carbon offsets have overpromised and underdelivered since nongovernmental organizations began to use them in the mid-1990s. —Jessica F. Green, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overpromise

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize