1
as in overemphasizing
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in underplaying
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overplaying
Verb
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Paternalistic tactics, such as overemphasizing IUDs and implants, undermined young people’s reproductive health preferences and goals.—
Riley J. Steiner,
STAT,
20 Apr. 2026 -
Still, overemphasizing national trend lines fails to acknowledge how new converts can change a community.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The lamp adds a pop of color and personality without overdoing it, and comes in hues like dark green, navy blue, crimson, and beige.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
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Of course, finding a way to pay homage to a movie that came to define a generation — without overdoing it — would be no small feat.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The change was prompted by the Porter County Commissioners on April 1 enacting a new standard operating procedure for its Porter County E-911 system.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
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The state passed a law last year preempting local governments from enacting or enforcing rules against presidential libraries.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
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
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The league decided to introduce postgame flop fines in the 2012-13 season where plays were reviewed after games and those individuals were fined for exaggerating contact.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
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This natural state of paralysis prevents the body from physically acting out dreams, which could otherwise lead to injury, Drerup explained.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
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Rather than acting out on the anger, take a calming moment with some deep breaths, and think about the possibility that your partner was possibly distracted or stressed out.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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While agreeing that the FPV drones were a new challenge, Zehavi cautioned against overstating their impact.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Apr. 2026
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In 1998, Buffett warned against overstating your impact.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For Johnson, police have to balance not sensationalizing these teen takeovers, while also not writing them off as kids being kids.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
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In addition to recentering the story, the new show shies away from violence on screen, so as to avoid sensationalizing Gacy.—
Lex Goldstein,
PEOPLE,
13 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Additionally, those early on in their criminal career often try on their criminal identity by mimicking others’ crimes.—
Lorena O’Neil,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
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The new framework addresses that issue by mimicking how the human brain predicts sensory feedback.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
8 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Overplaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overplaying. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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