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

Apply the blended figure to a queue that no longer contains any simple work, and the model overstates savings before the deployment has processed a single contact. — Antony P Gregory, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Unfortunately, some of these benefits may be overstated—neither ACV nor lemon water is a perfect gut health solution on its own, experts agreed. — Sherri Gordon, HEALTH, 1 Sep. 2026

Deloitte pins the unimagined cascade effect at an additional $541 billion and did not add it to the final estimate to avoid overstating the size of the lunar economy. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Kiyosaki may also have overstated Kimi’s importance in his life. — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 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