to overplay

Examples

• All

• But Democrats need to be careful that they don't overplay their hand here.

  Blog text (11)

• Has anyone told you that you overplay your various roles rather severely?

  North by Northwest (1959)

• However, overplaying his hand might cause them to band together against him.

• The Second Bank of the United States had overplayed its hand.

  4 Presidents (2020)

• You are overplaying your hand, Mr. X.

  Raising Buchanan (2019)

• Her husband, though, came close to overplaying his hand.

  Academic text (1999)

• I believe we're in a unique time frame right now with the United States because I think they have overplayed their hand.

  Anything Goes With James English

• I mean, do you think they're in danger of overplaying their hand or have already?

• Has the U.S. administration overplayed its hand by assuming that the threat of military aid suspension could be leveraged to obtain political influence?

  Academic text (2014)

• While this tactic has helped Moscow maintain energy distribution to its advantage, it also demonstrates Moscow's tendency to overplay its hand.

  Academic text (2010)

Synonyms

E

to exaggerate

vsto overplay

258 3.1

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

focuses on stressing importance or seriousness rather than any change

O

to overstate

vsto overplay

70 4.2

Say something is bigger or more important than it really is

narrows this to overstating importance or seriousness specifically

I

to inflate

vsto overplay

47 4.2

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

focuses more on importance or seriousness rather than only value

M

to magnify

vsto overplay

34 4.6

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

is about giving undue weight to importance or seriousness overall

E

to expand

vsto overplay

20 3.4

To make something seem larger or more important than it is

leans toward stressing importance or seriousness rather than simple growth

D

to dramatize

vsto overplay

15 4.2

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

is broader, applying to stressing importance not only theatrical style

T

to talk up

vsto overplay

13 4.1

To say that something is better or more important than it really is

is about inflating importance or seriousness generally, not only praise

A

to amplify

vsto overplay

9 5.6

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

targets overall importance or seriousness rather than single details

P

to play up

vsto overplay

9 4.3

Make something seem more important or impressive than it is

uses emphasis to present things as more important or serious overall

O

to overemphasize

vsto overplay

8 5.5

Treat something as more important than it should be

emphasizes importance specifically rather than general exaggeration

O

to oversell

vsto overplay

7 4.9

Make something seem better than it really is

focuses on overstating importance or seriousness rather than selling

A

to aggrandize

vsto overplay

• Formal

5 9.5

To make something seem more important by adding details or exaggerating

focuses on undue emphasis of importance rather than added detail alone

B

to blow up

vsto overplay

4 3.7

To make something seem more important or bigger than it is

focuses on adding undue importance or seriousness rather than mere size

O

to overhype

vsto overplay

4 5.8

Praise something more than it really deserves

is less promotional and more about stressing seriousness or importance

M

to make a mountain out of a molehill

vsto overplay

• Informal

3 6.4

Treat a small problem as if it were very serious

is broader, applying to stressing importance in many contexts

O

to overdramatize

vsto overplay

3 6.6

Describe something as more serious or emotional than it really is

focuses on general overemphasis rather than specifically adding drama

M

to make a big thing out of

vsto overplay

• Informal

2 5.8

Treat something as more important or serious than it is

is the general act of stressing importance often beyond reality

O

to overinflate

vsto overplay

1 5.1

Make something seem much bigger or more important than it is

leans more toward stressing importance or seriousness than mere size

O

to overblow

vsto overplay

1 5.9

To make something seem more important or serious than it is

covers undue emphasis without the sense of theatrical excess

O

to overstress

vsto overplay

1 5.8

To give something too much importance

is about making importance or seriousness seem greater rather than emphasis style

M

to make a meal of

vsto overplay

• Informal

1 8.3

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

is concerned with overstating importance rather than only complication

O

to overread

vsto overplay

1 8.2

To see something as having more meaning than it really has

is broader, stressing importance or seriousness rather than misreading

O

to overexaggerate

vsto overplay

1 5.4

To make something seem much worse or bigger than it is

puts too much importance but not always to needless excess

H

to hyperbolize

vsto overplay

• US

1 7.9

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

is about stressing importance or seriousness rather than rhetorical flourish

O

to overdraw

vsto overplay

6.6

Describe something as more important or impressive than it really is

aims at inflating importance or seriousness, not just vividness

Antonyms

U

to understate

18 5.2

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

Idioms

O

to overplay one's hand

• Informal

3 7.0

Show too much confidence and take risks that make you lose your advantage

How Exaggerated

to overplay

13 4.6

to emphasize

• US

397 3.7

to state

∞ 1.6

to downplay

59 5.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology