as in to exaggerate
to treat (something) with more importance than is needed or proper
The teacher tends to overemphasize the value of tests. The importance of a healthy diet cannot be overemphasized.
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Recent Examples of overemphasize
Parents who overemphasize obedience, which can require the suppression of big feelings, run the risk of raising people-pleasers who can’t advocate for themselves and are more likely to grow into anxious, unhappy adults, Raouda says.
—
Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 20 Dec. 2025
Leaders often overemphasize vision while neglecting those details.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
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
But ChatGPT sometimes overemphasized or underemphasized findings, and a small but significant number of responses indicated patients were more confused after reading the summaries, said Honce, who participated in the preprint study.
—Kate Ruder, jsonline.com, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overemphasize
Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 20 Dec. 2025
Leaders often overemphasize vision while neglecting those details.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
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
But ChatGPT sometimes overemphasized or underemphasized findings, and a small but significant number of responses indicated patients were more confused after reading the summaries, said Honce, who participated in the preprint study.
—Kate Ruder, jsonline.com, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overemphasize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overemphasize
Verb
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Slightly shimmering effects reflect light in a subtle way, bringing luminosity without being exaggerated; it can be glazed donut–style chrome, or for a more intense effect try a cat-eye finish.—
Andrea Carbajal,
Glamour,
31 Mar. 2026
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Bosco’s attorneys argue Shaw was exaggerating the situation.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Not long after October 7th, on a Zoom call with more than a hundred influential figures in Hollywood, Brous emphasized her profound sympathy for Israelis; two board members at her synagogue had relatives in Israel who’d been killed or kidnapped by Hamas.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Writers said the article emphasized findings that were subjective and susceptible to bias.—
David Hilzenrath,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Young remains one of the most recognizable faces to emerge from the K-pop boom, having spent her formative years as part of Girls’ Generation – a group whose commercial footprint is difficult to overstate.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
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Claims that Tehran's capabilities have been obliterated are overstated.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fertilizing can be beneficial as well—but don't overdo it.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
2 Apr. 2026
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While the Elie 12 does a good job of staying in line, even at full volume, the speaker is a little too happy to overdo its low end.—
Mark Knapp,
PC Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overemphasize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overemphasize. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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