1
as in to overemphasize
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Recent Examples of overplay
Britain's Liberals were slow to recognize the growing momentum of the women's suffrage movement and progressive Democrats have overplayed their hand on race and gender.
—
Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
People who like to show their cards sometimes overplay them.
—Dan Alexander, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
When Colorado State overplayed the interior, Maryland was able to make the Rams pay for it in high-leverage situations.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025
So, what is left to protect the nation from any force that would overplay its hand.
—Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overplay
Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
People who like to show their cards sometimes overplay them.
—Dan Alexander, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
When Colorado State overplayed the interior, Maryland was able to make the Rams pay for it in high-leverage situations.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025
So, what is left to protect the nation from any force that would overplay its hand.
—Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overplay
Verb
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Erik Spoelstra, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo recognized Butler’s impact but didn’t want to overemphasize the meaning of Tuesday.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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In overemphasizing antics to justify its existence, Another Simple Favor nearly forgets the connection between the two women that started it all.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The Hollywood Reporter,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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By de-emphasizing the will of not just Poles but also Ukrainians, Hubris underplays the key factor that brought Putin to the point of annexing Crimea in 2014: Ukraine’s fervent hope for closer trade ties with the EU.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
9 Apr. 2025
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To describe the United States’ military interventions as mishandled, for example, is to criminally underplay their impact.—
Emma Ashford,
Foreign Affairs,
29 May 2020
Verb
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The Department of Player Safety — a big suspension, overdid it.—
Joe Smith,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Do not overdo it: A small amount of concealer is enough to correct redness.—
Lucrezia Malavolta,
Vogue,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The college student performers from the Hartt School aren’t encouraged to overact during the party scene anymore — no more drunk jokes or pratfalls.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Dec. 2024
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One could easily be accused of overacting, of doing too much.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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False Claims and Global Aims: A Times investigation shows Therme, a European firm which runs a spa and water park in Romania, exaggerated its track record in securing a deal with Ontario, and government auditors found that the process had been unfair and opaque.—
Salman Masood,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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According to the singer, his feud with Baskin was exaggerated for ratings.—
Nicole Briese,
People.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Florida Sheriff's Association announced in February that all county jails had signed agreements in compliance with a state law enacted in 2022.—
Julia Ingram,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2025
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Republicans are hoping to raise the nation’s borrowing limit, which caps how much money the Treasury Department can owe to pay the country’s bills, by up to $5 trillion this year as part of a larger package to extend expiring tax cuts enacted through Trump’s signature 2017 tax law.—
Aris Folley,
The Hill,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Barcelona were adjudged to have overstated their UEFA PSR position by €267million in 2022, for which they were fined €500,000 by the European governing body.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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The promise of such innovations — which can, among other medical miracles, target and destroy cancer cells, potentially reverse hearing loss, and enable sickle-cell patients to live without debilitating pain — can hardly be overstated.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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While in shelters, some animals may act out due to the overwhelming stress of their environment.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
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Two months later, Becca was the target of online gossip and started acting out and drinking as a way to cope.—
Deb Schmill,
People.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overplay. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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