1
as in overemphasizing
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in underplaying
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overplaying
Verb
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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
Verb
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Your serving size should be an 8-oz cup to reap some of these benefits without overdoing it.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
5 Jan. 2026
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The texture starts light and creamy, then transforms into a soft foam that cleanses thoroughly without overdoing it.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Starring Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough as the psychotic couple enacting his redemption plan, the film is described as a sharp social commentary.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
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Costco was among the largest of more than 1,000 retailers that sued, arguing that the president had exceeded his emergency powers in enacting some of the tariffs.—
Shelly Banjo,
semafor.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Allegations that are now spreading online could be misinterpreting records or exaggerating minor issues — or could be exposing actual fraudulent activity.—
Jude Joffe-Block,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2026
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Studies have found that companies tend to buy cheap, low-quality carbon credits, which run a risk of exaggerating their carbon reduction claims or providing results that would have happened anyway, leaving no real climate benefit.—
Brian P. McCullough,
The Conversation,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The actors joked about how trying to put on medical gloves quickly enough while remembering and acting out dialogue can make scenes go sideways in a heartbeat.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Dec. 2025
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This world is rarely gentle to people who are hurt, vulnerable, acting out.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Dec. 2025
Verb
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That might be overstating things a bit (especially for a few coaches, ahem, Jim Harbaugh).—
Austin Mock,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
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The Tribune claimed that the city was overstating the success of the Blue Bag program by determining the recycling rate only when considering garbage sorted at MRRFs when, in fact, a lot of recyclables were going to waste transfer stations where they were hauled to landfills.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In addition to recentering the story, the new show shies away from violence on screen, so as to avoid sensationalizing Gacy.—
Lex Goldstein,
PEOPLE,
13 Nov. 2025
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Notoriety trailed Woodhull through her life, but, rather than sensationalizing her scandals, Collinsworth highlights Woodhull’s flair for reinvention, and her drive to set the terms by which she would be remembered.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Other areas will use cluster planting, with trees grouped irregularly and open space between them, mimicking the look of a healthy forest.—
Mark Billingsley,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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Mold exposure doesn’t affect everyone, and in many, the symptoms can be mild, mimicking minor allergies.—
Angelica Bottaro,
Verywell Health,
6 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Overplaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overplaying. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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