1
as in to overemphasize
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Recent Examples of overplay
And powerful people tend to overplay their hands.
—
Brent Lang, Variety, 30 Dec. 2025
Advertisement China might overplay its hand—that remains a real danger.
—Kerry Brown, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
But Barkley suggested the players should be careful to not overplay their hand.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2025
While there are risks for Democrats to overplay their hand in several blue states, members of the party warn there’s risk for their GOP counterparts in red states just the same.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overplay
Brent Lang, Variety, 30 Dec. 2025
Advertisement China might overplay its hand—that remains a real danger.
—Kerry Brown, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
But Barkley suggested the players should be careful to not overplay their hand.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2025
While there are risks for Democrats to overplay their hand in several blue states, members of the party warn there’s risk for their GOP counterparts in red states just the same.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overplay
Verb
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Still, overemphasizing national trend lines fails to acknowledge how new converts can change a community.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
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Questions at debates and forums have tended to overemphasize who’s giving what to whom over other important matters in this election.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sometimes the functional sibling learns to compensate or cover for the dysfunctional one, to underplay strengths or wear a mask.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Others say such comments underplay the consequences of the oil blockade.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fertilizing can be beneficial as well—but don't overdo it.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
2 Apr. 2026
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While the Elie 12 does a good job of staying in line, even at full volume, the speaker is a little too happy to overdo its low end.—
Mark Knapp,
PC Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That secret shakes Charlie’s love for his intended, messes with work, affects his performance in bed and prompts him to spiral out, overacting at every step.—
Mark Kennedy,
Boston Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Adrien Brody can’t stop overacting in a commercial for TurboTax.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The team, according to records shared with Semafor by Moore’s office, is digging into whether Moore had exaggerated his military record, as well as his high school and collegiate basketball tenure.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
6 Apr. 2026
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Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose term featured record numbers of disappearances and homicides, complained that political adversaries were exaggerating the problem to smear his reputation and legacy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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No waiver is in place for the 2026-27 academic year, however, so a final year of college basketball for Buchanan will hinge on whether something similar will be enacted again for non-NCAA transfers.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Apr. 2026
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In setting new standards for the film-and-television industry, while also raising wages and benefits, this agreement was precisely the sort of thing Dube is advocating for other sectors to adopt, even though it was enacted through collective bargaining rather than by government action.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Young remains one of the most recognizable faces to emerge from the K-pop boom, having spent her formative years as part of Girls’ Generation – a group whose commercial footprint is difficult to overstate.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
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Claims that Tehran's capabilities have been obliterated are overstated.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If previous records massaged her hedonism into silky, professional-grade pop, the sound on WOR$T GIRL is all sinew and scrap metal, a leaner and meaner vehicle for acting out.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
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Bimbofication is the act of dressing like an attractive dumb woman and acting out the part.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overplay. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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