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
Still, overemphasizing national trend lines fails to acknowledge how new converts can change a community.
—
Luis Parrales, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
Questions at debates and forums have tended to overemphasize who’s giving what to whom over other important matters in this election.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
If women ski as long as the men do and don’t do it as quickly, that ratio gets out of whack and overemphasizes skiing for the women and not for the men.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Finally, advocates can respond to the argument that merit overemphasizes achievements and undervalues people.
—Kenji Yoshino, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overemphasize
Luis Parrales, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
Questions at debates and forums have tended to overemphasize who’s giving what to whom over other important matters in this election.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
If women ski as long as the men do and don’t do it as quickly, that ratio gets out of whack and overemphasizes skiing for the women and not for the men.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Finally, advocates can respond to the argument that merit overemphasizes achievements and undervalues people.
—Kenji Yoshino, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overemphasize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overemphasize
Verb
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Apple just settled a class-action lawsuit for exaggerating the AI capabilities of its newest iPhones.—
Vitaliy Katsenelson,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
-
Someone could leave out important details, exaggerate or accidentally confuse you without meaning to.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Symbolic interactionism emphasizes how people build their identities through social roles and interactions.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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The man is nameless to emphasize both the singular and the universal nature of his situation.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Verb
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But claims that Los Angeles — alongside New York — was the safest big city are generally considered overstated rather than conclusively proven.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Trump account promoters have massively overstated the potential wealth gains for ordinary Americans.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Mulch can create a natural breeding ground for earwigs, which is beneficial, but don’t overdo it.—
Dan Simms,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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One caveat for those seeking to dive into pore care, Idriss warns to not overdo it.—
Diana Tsui,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overemphasize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overemphasize. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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