overstate

verb

over·​state ˌō-vər-ˈstāt 

overstated; overstating; overstates

transitive verb

: to state in too strong terms : exaggerate

overstated his qualifications

overstatement

ˌō-vər-ˈstāt-mənt 

noun

Synonyms of overstate

• exaggerate

Examples of overstate in a Sentence

It would be overstating the case to say that it was a matter of life or death.

it appears you've somewhat overstated your computer skills, if you can't find the “on” button!

Recent Examples on the Web

As a result, one lead record can understate the number of people involved while overstating the value of a single trackable interaction. — David Steifman, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Experts, however, question how widespread the fraud in the program is — and whether the administration is overstating its role in the ACA’s enrollment increases. — Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 22 Sep. 2026

Decades later, researchers would say the study had overstated the risk of cancer for younger menopausal women, leading to the FDA removing the black box warning in November 2025. — Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026

The satellite-to-phone provider AST SpaceMobile is facing a class action lawsuit from an investor, who claims the company overstated its ability to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1792, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overstate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

overstate

verb

over·​state -ˈstāt 

: to state in too strong terms : exaggerate

overstatement

-mənt 

noun