Overplay: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when someone is giving too much importance to something, often in a negative way. Commonly used in discussions regarding drama or sports.

• She tends to overplay her achievements at work.
• The media often overplays minor incidents to create sensational news.

Used when someone makes something seem larger, better, or worse than it really is. It is often used in everyday conversation and storytelling.

• He likes to exaggerate his success to impress others.
• Don't exaggerate the difficulties, it's not as bad as it seems.

Used when too much stress or importance is placed on a particular aspect, often at the expense of others. It is common in educational and professional settings.

• Teachers should not overemphasize grades at the expense of actual learning.
• He tends to overemphasize minor details instead of focusing on the bigger picture.

Usually used when discussing numbers, prices, or importance. It indicates artificially increasing something to make it seem more significant. Often used in economics or business contexts.

• The company was accused of inflating its earnings to attract investors.
• Media reports often inflate the number of attendees at events.

This word is used to describe exaggerating something too much, making it seem more important or impactful than it actually is.

• The media tends to overplay negative news to attract more viewers.
• He overplayed his success in the project during the meeting.

Overact is used specifically in the context of acting, when a performer exaggerates their emotions or actions to the point of being unrealistic or unbelievable.

• The critic said that the lead actor tended to overact in many scenes.
• He was nervous and ended up overacting his role in the school play.

Ham it up means to act in an exaggerated way, often to attract attention or for comedic effect. It is often used in the context of performing arts or entertainment.

• The actor hammed it up on stage, causing the audience to roar with laughter.
• During the talent show, she decided to ham it up with a funny dance.

The term oversell means to exaggerate the benefits or qualities of something, often in a sales or promotional context, to the point where expectations are unrealistically high.

• The salesman tried to oversell the car, promising features that it didn't actually have.
• Don't oversell your idea, or people might be disappointed when they see the actual results.