overrated

adjective

over·​rat·​ed ˌō-vər-ˈrā-təd How to pronounce overrated (audio)
Synonyms of overratednext
: rated or valued too highly
an overrated book/movie/restaurant
The reign of James I is under scrutiny again. For too long this king has been the victim of literary pastiche, deployed as a foil to the fleeing glory of the overrated Elizabeth I.J. A. Guy
… Garrick had arranged for a member of the audience (a fellow actor), dressed as a Frenchified fop, to complain—as connoisseurs of French literary taste had complained for generations—that Shakespeare was vulgar, provincial, and overrated.Jonathan Bate

Examples of overrated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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And besides, landscapes are overrated. Deena Prichep, NPR, 19 Feb. 2026 The pattern suggests a company that views first-mover advantage as overrated and timing discipline as underrated. Ioannis Ioannou, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026 What’s the most overrated game-day experience? Pete Sampson, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026 Last but not least, Lincoln Riley is an overrated head football coach. Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overrated

Word History

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overrated was in 1586

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Cite this Entry

“Overrated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overrated. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.

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