as in to exaggerate
to treat (something) with more importance than is needed or proper
The teacher tends to overemphasize the value of tests. The importance of a healthy diet cannot be overemphasized.
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Recent Examples of overemphasize
See how schools did The U.S. News & World Report's rankings have come under scrutiny over the years, however, for favoring certain kinds of schools and overemphasizing standardized testing scores, which have historically favored wealthier districts.
—
Caroline Beck, IndyStar, 19 Aug. 2025
Thursday’s announcement that Anna Wintour would be stepping away from her day-to-day duties at American Vogue elicited a frenzy rarely seen in media news these days — though the headlines in many cases overemphasized the idea of a departure versus the realignment of her role at Condé Nast.
—Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025
Writers, with our big egos and big imaginations, tend to overemphasize the impact of our books.
—Maris Kreizman
june 20, Literary Hub, 20 June 2025
The post’s claims also overemphasize the data from a short time; history shows immigration trends ebb and flow no matter who is in office.
—Maria Ramirez Uribe, Austin American Statesman, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overemphasize
Caroline Beck, IndyStar, 19 Aug. 2025
Thursday’s announcement that Anna Wintour would be stepping away from her day-to-day duties at American Vogue elicited a frenzy rarely seen in media news these days — though the headlines in many cases overemphasized the idea of a departure versus the realignment of her role at Condé Nast.
—Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025
Writers, with our big egos and big imaginations, tend to overemphasize the impact of our books.
—Maris Kreizman
june 20, Literary Hub, 20 June 2025
The post’s claims also overemphasize the data from a short time; history shows immigration trends ebb and flow no matter who is in office.
—Maria Ramirez Uribe, Austin American Statesman, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overemphasize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overemphasize
Verb
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The young family were the only people on the block who elected to ride out the storm, believing the stark warnings were being exaggerated.—
Curtis Bunn,
NBC news,
27 Aug. 2025
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The fact that the company exaggerates the job numbers, as well as the true number of states where the plane produces a significant number of jobs does not alter the fact that economic arguments carry a lot of weight in Congressional decisions on weapons procurement.—
William Hartung,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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DeVito bookends the movie as pricey divorce attorney Gavin D'Amato, who shares the cautionary tale of Barbara (Turner) and Oliver Rose (Douglas) for a new client, emphasizing just how grisly divorce can be.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
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Peacock and Benzing emphasized the study will fully take into account the wants and expectations of the region's local governments, its residents and other stakeholders.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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There’s a danger of overstating the significance of one band.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Aug. 2025
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And finally… There’s no overstating the scale of the crisis at Sheffield Wednesday.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But the actor slips into the role flawlessly (with the help of good makeup), never overdoing it and adding a fair amount of gravitas to the constantly shifting scenery.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Aug. 2025
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Cover all spots or rust, but don’t overdo it.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overemphasize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overemphasize. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.
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