1
as in to overemphasize
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Recent Examples of overplay
But on stage, the sophomoric snaps are overplayed (and fairly raunchy for Indiana high schoolers in the 1950s); the energy is replaced by speed; and the emotions are always fraught.
—
Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2025
Perhaps the Administration became impatient with the university and, as a result, overplayed its hand.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2025
The Lakers set up a similar alignment on their next possession, but Brooks overplayed the screen Reaves was setting for James by turning his body parallel to the baseline between James and Reaves.
—Khobi Price, Oc Register, 5 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for overplay
Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2025
Perhaps the Administration became impatient with the university and, as a result, overplayed its hand.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2025
The Lakers set up a similar alignment on their next possession, but Brooks overplayed the screen Reaves was setting for James by turning his body parallel to the baseline between James and Reaves.
—Khobi Price, Oc Register, 5 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for overplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overplay
Verb
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Moser says that American leaders have overemphasized college to the detriment of vocational training and that the U.S. system of apprenticeships pales in comparison with the ones in countries like Germany and Switzerland.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
13 May 2025
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Hyper-independence happens when a person overemphasizes autonomy, often as a defense mechanism from past hurt, trauma or fear of vulnerability.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Verb
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But his performance as the coldly confident Conway is still an excellent part of the world Scorsese constructs, and De Niro underplays to excellent effects.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
24 Mar. 2025
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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
Verb
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Yet abroad, Germans are still caricatured as Nazis, and the remembrance culture plays a part by overdoing it.—
Mark Sappenfield,
Christian Science Monitor,
2 May 2025
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Reflect what the job is looking for, but don't overdo it—listing nine to 12 skills is sufficient. 3.—
Franklin Buchanan,
Forbes.com,
15 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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Coffey seemed to exaggerate it, throwing her hands up while going down.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 May 2025
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The movie exaggerates the struggles Scaravella faced.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
9 May 2025
Verb
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House Republicans defended a bill that would enact sweeping tax cuts, raise the debt ceiling, and add restrictions to benefit programs during a heated marathon day of committee hearings on Capitol Hill.—
Riley Beggin,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
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The Trump administration hopes the plan will be enacted by July 4.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
Verb
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Bill Simon, who ran Walmart U.S. from 2010 to 2014, suggests the company may be overstating challenges tied to tariffs.—
Stephanie Landsman,
CNBC,
15 May 2025
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Kroger took issue with the findings, saying the investigation greatly overstates the pricing issues.—
Anne Marie D. Lee,
CBS News,
14 May 2025
Verb
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Scenarios are acted out involving a rabbit who enjoys frequenting the circus and a ticket-taker bear who relishes enforcing the rules with all his brutal might.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2025
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Prosecutors told the court that Vallow Daybell had acted out of self-interest, not self-preservation, with plans to cash in on her estranged husband’s $1 million life insurance policy.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overplay. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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