overplays; overplayed; overplaying
1
: to give too much attention to (something) : to make (something) seem more important than it really is
The network news overplayed the story just to get good ratings.
2
disapproving
: to show too much emotion when acting in a play, movie, etc.
He overplayed the death scene.
Cite this Entry
“Overplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/overplay. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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