overemphasize

O1V4E1R1E1M3P3H4A1S1I1Z10E1

verb

To place too much emphasis on; to overstate the importance of.

Similar
big upplay upstretchcut it fatexaggeratehyperbolizeoverchargeoverdo
OriginEnglish emphasize ← Middle English over- ← Old English ofer- →
UncommonScrabble 32
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Meanings

verboveremphasize (third-person singular simple present overemphasizes, present participle overemphasizing, simple past and past participle overemphasized)

present singular third person overemphasizes · participle present overemphasizing · participle past overemphasized · past overemphasized · alternative overemphasise

  1. To place too much emphasis on; to overstate the importance of.

    Synonyms: big up, play up, stretch, big up, cut it fat, exaggerate, hyperbolize, overcharge

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo place too much emphasis on; to overstate the importance of.

Similar
big upplay upstretchbig upcut it fatexaggeratehyperbolizeoverchargeoverdooverstateplay upstretchthree-sheet

More synonyms by meaning

verbplace special or excessive emphasis on

Similar
overemphasiseoverstress
Broader
overstateexaggerateoverdraw
Also see
big upcut it fatexaggeratehyperbolizeoverchargeoverdooverstateoverstressplay upstretchthree-sheet

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Germanic*uber
  4. Old Englishofer-
  5. Middle Englishover-
  6. Englishover-
  7. Englishemphasize
  8. Englishoveremphasize

From over- + emphasize.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 過分強調, 过分强调
  • 過分強調place too much emphasis on
  • 过分强调 (guòfèn qiángdiào)place too much emphasis on
Finnish ylikorostaa
  • ylikorostaaplace too much emphasis on
Hungarian túlhangsúlyoz
  • túlhangsúlyozplace too much emphasis on
Cite this entry
APA

overemphasize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overemphasize

MLA

“overemphasize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overemphasize. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “overemphasize,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overemphasize.

Source: overemphasize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.