as in exaggeration
the representation of something in terms that go beyond the facts
a claim to worldwide fame is a bit of an overstatement on the part of that nightclub
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Recent Examples of overstatement
Rather than feeling stuck between silence and overstatement, the most effective leaders are taking a more intentional approach.
—
Teresa Hopke, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
With job growth averaging just shy of 40,000 in that period, an overstatement that size would equate to payroll losses of about 20,000 per month.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
The look leaned into tuxedo influences without overstatement — a long jacket line, uninterrupted black trousers and a graphic monochrome balance.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 30 Nov. 2025
Everyone used to say that the horns sound like kazoos on that record, which is a slight overstatement.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Advertisement But whether the peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand becomes a genuine achievement or an overstatement, experts say, is still up in the air.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Teresa Hopke, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
With job growth averaging just shy of 40,000 in that period, an overstatement that size would equate to payroll losses of about 20,000 per month.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
The look leaned into tuxedo influences without overstatement — a long jacket line, uninterrupted black trousers and a graphic monochrome balance.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 30 Nov. 2025
Everyone used to say that the horns sound like kazoos on that record, which is a slight overstatement.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Advertisement But whether the peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand becomes a genuine achievement or an overstatement, experts say, is still up in the air.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overstatement
Noun
-
Who knew what other wild exaggerations Wise had chosen to believe?—
Nicholas Lemann,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
-
That may be somewhat an exaggeration, at least for audience members who recognize Thornton Wilder’s many references to ancient literature and history.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Often employing caricature, distortion and symbolism to communicate anxiety and resistance, his works are personal and political, offering a critique of the systems that oppress people of color.—
Evan Nicole Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Yet this caricature of Jackson as an anti-white, anti-Semitic demagogue never reflected the man.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This is not hyperbole or hyperventilation.—
James Speyer,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Hickenlooper, who was also the state’s governor and the mayor of Denver, is not a man given to hyperbole.—
Rebecca Boyle,
The Atlantic,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overstatement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overstatement. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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