1
as in to overemphasize
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Recent Examples of overplay
The net effect, however, is that a core group of players has potentially been overplayed.
—
Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
The responses may be a sign that Trump is overplaying his mandate.
—Erin Doherty, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025
Patel, Bondi and Trump are overplaying their hand, especially as the president’s immigration policy approval keeps dropping amid public outrage over authoritarian assaults on due process and separation of powers.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2025
But on stage, the sophomoric snaps are overplayed (and fairly raunchy for Indiana high schoolers in the 1950s); the energy is replaced by speed; and the emotions are always fraught.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overplay
Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
The responses may be a sign that Trump is overplaying his mandate.
—Erin Doherty, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025
Patel, Bondi and Trump are overplaying their hand, especially as the president’s immigration policy approval keeps dropping amid public outrage over authoritarian assaults on due process and separation of powers.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2025
But on stage, the sophomoric snaps are overplayed (and fairly raunchy for Indiana high schoolers in the 1950s); the energy is replaced by speed; and the emotions are always fraught.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overplay
Verb
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That’s why overemphasizing individual performance diminishes team performance.—
ESMT Berlin,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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Drag Race can overemphasize the evolution a queen has gone through between seasons, but Aja has actually had one.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
9 May 2025
Verb
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The Takacs was already a fine quartet, with a lyrical, emotionally frank sensibility that rarely underplayed the character of a phrase.—
David Allen Chet Strange,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
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But his performance as the coldly confident Conway is still an excellent part of the world Scorsese constructs, and De Niro underplays to excellent effects.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Strive to indulge once in a while without overdoing it.—
Leigh Morgan,
Quartz,
2 June 2025
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McDonough added extra springs and air bags to handle the camper weight and a winch up front, but otherwise has stayed away from overdoing the build.—
Jakob Schiller,
Outside Online,
29 May 2025
Verb
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The college student performers from the Hartt School aren’t encouraged to overact during the party scene anymore — no more drunk jokes or pratfalls.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Dec. 2024
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One could easily be accused of overacting, of doing too much.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Another hurdle is getting buy-in from red states, where many politicians have espoused the view that hate crimes and domestic terrorism concerns are exaggerated by liberals to police conservative thought.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
31 May 2025
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Trump has long been known for his tendency to exaggerate crowd sizes at his rallies and public events, a pattern that dates back to his very first days in office.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
Verb
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Andrew Harnik/Getty Images House Majority Leader Steve Scalise formally introduced legislation to enact President Donald Trump's $9.4 billion rescissions package on Friday, setting up a floor vote as early as Tuesday.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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However, it wasn’t ultimately enacted by the last Congress.—
Dario Sabaghi,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Throughout the week, Sky players tried not to overstate the importance of the game — after all, their primary focus Saturday was erasing the memory of a season-opening blowout to the Fever in Indianapolis.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
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The scope of the changes — some have already begun — is difficult to overstate.—
Eddie Pells,
Baltimore Sun,
7 June 2025
Verb
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However, the dog might also be acting out of boredom, using destructive behavior as a coping mechanism.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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The new study explores an entirely different hypothesis: Maybe some bosses act out on purpose.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overplay. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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