to overact

Examples

• All

• Why do they overact?

  City of Angels (1998)

• Something about the way he overacts in that scene.

  Blog text (12)

• The voice actors will be terrible because they will be trying to overact their lines "in character."

  Blog text (8)

• When you have an emotion, they overact and create tears.

  City of Angels (1998)

• And she was right, of course; I was overacting.

  Fiction book (1991)

• Jerry enters the hotel suite and overacts surprise.

  Fiction book (1996)

• But she isn't getting those roles because of her tendency to overact.

  Blog text (8)

• - You're overacting.

  The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

• You're overacting.

  The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

• In his latest film, the actor decided to overact, making every emotion seem exaggerated.

Synonyms

E

to exaggerate

vsto overact

258 3.1

To say something is larger, better, or worse than it really is

is specifically about excessive stage performance rather than general overstatement

G

to go overboard

vsto overact

• Informal

45 4.4

To do something more than is needed

is focused on exaggerated performance rather than any kind of excess

D

to dramatize

vsto overact

15 4.2

To make something seem more exciting or important than it really is

is presentation with theatrical emphasis, not only natural depiction

P

to play up

vsto overact

9 4.3

Make something seem more important or impressive than it is

is exaggeration within performance rather than a general emphasis tactic

O

to overplay

vsto overact

5 5.2

Act in an exaggerated way that makes a performance feel unnatural

is performance that goes beyond natural behaviour and harms realism

H

to ham it up

vsto overact

• Informal

4 7.4

Act in a silly, exaggerated way to make people laugh

is excessive performance that is unnatural rather than subtle

O

to overdramatize

vsto overact

3 6.6

Describe something as more serious or emotional than it really is

is about exaggerated stage performance rather than general dramatic wording

C

to chew the scenery

vsto overact

• Informal

1 9.6

To act in a very exaggerated way to get attention in plays or films

is exaggerated performance usually focused on show rather than realism

O

to overexaggerate

vsto overact

1 5.4

To make something seem much worse or bigger than it is

is specific to performance and feels unnatural rather than general excess

S

to showboating

vsto overact

• Informal

6.9

To act in a dramatic way to get attention

is exaggerated performance that focuses on showiness rather than craft

Antonyms

U

to underact

• Jargon

7.4

To show too little feeling when playing a role

How Exaggerated

to overact

5 5.5

to act

∞ 1.0

to underact

• Jargon

7.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology