to overinflate

Examples

• All

• As it is, the cost of health care in this country is wildly overinflated by comparison to every other civilized country in the world.

  Blog text (14)

• I heard today that she had fudged, overinflated her resume, never got her PhD, etc., which she has been including in her lists of accomplishments.

  Blog text (18)

• I do not think it should be overinflated by any stretch.

  Academic text (1995)

• Similarly, executive pay in corporate America is way overinflated.

  Blog text (7)

• He lied, overinflating his job and income at a personnel agency, courting her with flowers and cards.

  Fiction book (1993)

• Maybe it was overinflated to begin with and is now coming back to earth, but even though I don't appreciate them as a brand that fits into my own life, I can appreciate their success from a business perspective.

  Blog text (27)

• At its peak, property values became massively overinflated, to the point where prime real estate in Tokyo could sell for more than the entire GDP of smaller countries.

  Blog text (13)

• Ten of the scales measure various components of self-esteem, and one scale (Defensive Self-Enhancement) measures the tendency to overinflate one's self-perception.

  Academic text (1993)

• Many advertisements overinflate the benefits of their products, promising results that are hard to achieve.

• It is common for politicians to overinflate their achievements during campaign speeches to gain more support.

Synonyms

E

to exaggerate

vsto overinflate

258 3.1

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

focuses more on raising apparent importance or monetary value

O

to overstate

vsto overinflate

70 4.2

Say something is bigger or more important than it really is

leans toward increasing perceived importance or value rather than literal size

O

to overrate

vsto overinflate

50 5.1

To think someone or something is better than they really are

is similar but emphasizes raising perceived importance or worth

O

to overestimate

vsto overinflate

50 4.1

To think something is larger or more important than it really is

uses this misjudgment to make things seem larger or more valuable

I

to inflate

vsto overinflate

47 4.2

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

puts extra emphasis on worth or importance beyond simple facts

M

to magnify

vsto overinflate

34 4.6

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

is used to highlight increased apparent importance rather than literal size

E

to expand

vsto overinflate

20 3.4

To make something seem larger or more important than it is

aims at increasing perceived importance or worth rather than actual change

O

to overplay

vsto overinflate

13 4.6

Make something seem more important or serious than it really is

focuses on increasing apparent worth or overall importance rather than tone

A

to amplify

vsto overinflate

9 5.6

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

aims to increase perceived importance or value rather than reflect truth

P

to play up

vsto overinflate

9 4.3

Make something seem more important or impressive than it is

expresses the same change but directed at raising perceived value or worth

O

to overemphasize

vsto overinflate

8 5.5

Treat something as more important than it should be

means to make things seem larger or more valuable rather than just noticed

O

to oversell

vsto overinflate

7 4.9

Make something seem better than it really is

shares that promotion but applies it to general perceived value or importance

A

to aggrandize

vsto overinflate

• Formal

5 9.5

To make something seem more important by adding details or exaggerating

focuses on raising perceived status or value beyond actual worth

B

to blow up

vsto overinflate

4 3.7

To make something seem more important or bigger than it is

serves to raise apparent importance or value beyond what is true

O

to overhype

vsto overinflate

4 5.8

Praise something more than it really deserves

is a general way to make things seem more important or valuable

M

to make a mountain out of a molehill

vsto overinflate

• Informal

3 6.4

Treat a small problem as if it were very serious

is similar but the key applies to making things generally seem more important

O

to overdramatize

vsto overinflate

3 6.6

Describe something as more serious or emotional than it really is

focuses instead on boosting perceived importance or value rather than drama

M

to make a big thing out of

vsto overinflate

• Informal

2 5.8

Treat something as more important or serious than it is

does the same but often with the aim of making it seem more valuable

O

to overblow

vsto overinflate

1 5.9

To make something seem more important or serious than it is

does this while stressing increased importance or perceived value

M

to make a meal of

vsto overinflate

• Informal

1 8.3

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

focuses on raising perceived importance or worth rather than adding extra complexity

H

to hyperbolize

vsto overinflate

• US

1 7.9

To make something seem much bigger or more important than it really is

applies that excess to increase apparent importance or value

O

to overexaggerate

vsto overinflate

1 5.4

To make something seem much worse or bigger than it is

uses such excess to make things seem more important or valuable

O

to overdraw

vsto overinflate

6.6

Describe something as more important or impressive than it really is

focuses on raising perceived importance or value rather than mere drama

O

to overtell

vsto overinflate

7.1

To make a story sound more exciting or important than it really is

extends this tendency to raise perceived importance or value beyond facts

Antonyms

D

to downplay

59 5.3

Show something as less important or serious than it is

U

to understate

18 5.2

To make something seem smaller or less important than it really is

How Exaggerated

to overinflate

1 5.1

to exaggerate

258 3.1

to embellish

19 6.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology