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Glite Dictionary
🧩 Too complicated 🧩 To add too much
to overelaborate

to overelaborate

8.1
To add too much detail and make something more complicated than needed
  • verb
  • /ˌoʊvərɪˈlæbəˌreɪt/
translation icon : exagerar
  • Try not to overelaborate your explanation, or people may get confused.

Examples

  • The report was difficult to read because the author had overelaborated every section.

  • If you overelaborate your ideas, the main message might be lost.

  • Don't overelaborate your presentation!

  • She tends to overelaborate her arguments.

  • Try not to overelaborate your explanation, or people may get confused.

  • If you overelaborate your ideas, the main message might be lost.

  • The report was difficult to read because the author overelaborated every section.

Synonyms

to complicate
vsto overelaborate
101 4.1

To make something harder to understand or do

involves adding excess detailed content rather than general complication
to overdo
vsto overelaborate
58 3.6

Do something too much, more than needed

specifically increases complexity by adding unnecessary detail or parts
to pad
vsto overelaborate
19 6.5

To add extra, unnecessary details to make something seem bigger or better

adds complexity by piling on detailed parts rather than padding length
to overcomplicate
vsto overelaborate
3 5.8

Make something harder than it needs to be

adds extra specific detail that causes the unnecessary complexity
to make a meal of
vsto overelaborate
  • Informal
1 8.3

Act as if something is much more difficult or important than it is

differs by increasing actual detailed complexity rather than just exaggeration
to overdefine
vsto overelaborate
7.5

To give too much detail when explaining something

focuses on adding detailed material rather than only precise definitions
to overlard
vsto overelaborate
9.9

To put too many details or ingredients into something so it becomes bad

adds too many detailed elements rather than just heavy embellishment
to overegg the pudding
vsto overelaborate
  • UK
9.9

To add too many details and ruin something

involves too much detailed work rather than only decorative excess
to overexpand
vsto overelaborate
5.3

To make writing or an answer longer than necessary

adds complexity through extra detail rather than merely extending length
to overexplain
vsto overelaborate
6.0

To give more explanation than needed and make things confusing or boring

instead increases complexity by adding many detailed parts
to overrefine
vsto overelaborate
9.1

Make something too detailed so it becomes less clear or useful

achieves excess by adding many concrete details rather than subtlety
to gold-plate
vsto overelaborate
  • Literature
8.2

To add extra features or rules that make something costly and difficult

creates excess through added detailed parts rather than formal requirements
to complexify
vsto overelaborate
9.3

To make something harder to understand or do

does so specifically by piling on unnecessary detailed elements
to muddy up
vsto overelaborate
  • Informal
6.7

To make an idea or situation unclear and confusing

does this by adding too many details that create the confusion
to make heavy weather of
vsto overelaborate
  • UK
8.2

Act as if a task is much harder than it is

instead makes it complex by adding excessive, unnecessary detail
to overtell
vsto overelaborate
7.7

To tell a story too often or with too many details so it becomes boring

focuses on adding many new detailed elements rather than repetition

Antonyms

to simplify
99 2.5

Make something easier to understand or use

to streamline
41 4.1

Make a process or system simpler and more efficient

How Elaborate

to overelaborate
8.1
to elaborate
79 4.2
to explain
∞ 1.0
to simplify
99 2.5

Surface Forms

overelaborate infinitive
overelaborated past
overelaborated past participle
overelaborating present participle
overelaborates third person singular

Morphology

overelaborate = elaborate (transparent) = over + elaborate

Formed by productive prefixation: 'over-' (excessively) + verb 'elaborate' (to add detail), yielding 'to add excessive detail'.

Etymology

The verb overelaborate comes from over- 'too much' plus elaborate 'to work out', and you can think of labor 'work' in the same idea, so to overelaborate is to add 'too much work' or extra detail and make something more complicated than necessary.