as in exaggerating
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 overemphasizing
Paternalistic tactics, such as overemphasizing IUDs and implants, undermined young people’s reproductive health preferences and goals.
—
Riley J. Steiner, STAT, 20 Apr. 2026
Still, overemphasizing national trend lines fails to acknowledge how new converts can change a community.
—Luis Parrales, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
Still, experts warn that there is such a thing as overemphasizing the data and getting bogged down by less-than-optimal scores.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
Riley J. Steiner, STAT, 20 Apr. 2026
Still, overemphasizing national trend lines fails to acknowledge how new converts can change a community.
—Luis Parrales, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
Still, experts warn that there is such a thing as overemphasizing the data and getting bogged down by less-than-optimal scores.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overemphasizing
Verb
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Goldman says Lander is exaggerating the gulf between them.—
Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
-
Some may suspect the president is exaggerating.—
Drew Endy,
Washington Post,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Book warned that these conditions pose significant dangers for those living on the streets, emphasizing that even when temperatures dip slightly below 110 degrees, the heat remains hazardous for those suffering from dehydration.—
Manuel Bojorquez,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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Amazon aims to bridge immediate post-disaster gaps, emphasizing proactive community engagement and coordination, while acknowledging that portable tech supports, but doesn't replace, long-term resilience investments.—
Monica Sanders,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Last year, she was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for defrauding the bank by overstating the number of customers Frank had.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
14 June 2026
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Beaudin’s critics, including residents supporting Balch’s campaign and those that opposed Measure PP, claimed the city was overstating its budget issues and that officials were holding out on a reserve of cash that could lessen impacts of any potential deficit.—
Kyle Martin,
Mercury News,
7 June 2026
Verb
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And Carys is certainly embracing shopping her mom's previous red carpet picks — even to the point of possibly overdoing it.—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
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While a thin layer can help support the skin barrier, overdoing thick zinc creams daily may feel too heavy for skin types and ironically, could clog pores in oily skin.—
Tatiana Dias,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Styles like feed-in braids, braided top knots, and cornrow bobs can create the illusion of fullness without stressing fragile strands.—
Omenaa Boakye,
InStyle,
15 June 2026
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Television commentators make that distinction, stressing that Arab Shia are fellow citizens, were before 1979, and will be after this conflict fades.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overemphasizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overemphasizing. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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