OVEREMPHASIZES Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

overemphasizes

verb

present tense third-person singular of overemphasize

as in exaggerates

to treat (something) with more importance than is needed or proper The teacher tends to overemphasize the value of tests. The importance of a healthy diet cannot be overemphasized.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of overemphasizes And yet the United States and its allies’ current defense architecture overemphasizes exquisite capabilities while their adversaries, namely China and Russia, possess vast industrial capacity to scale military production. — Dan Driscoll, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2026 Almost everybody overemphasizes buying the technology and chasing the easy-to-measure things, headcount reduction among them. — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Inherent in their definition is a sense of shared fate—a counter to a version of food consumption that overemphasizes individual choice. — Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026 If women ski as long as the men do and don’t do it as quickly, that ratio gets out of whack and overemphasizes skiing for the women and not for the men. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026 Finally, advocates can respond to the argument that merit overemphasizes achievements and undervalues people. — Kenji Yoshino, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overemphasizes

Verb

Armour points to two recent plays, one involving Chelsea Gray and another involving Kiah Stokes, as proof that Clark exaggerates contact and creates false narratives about opposing players.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2026
The best place to start is a sporting culture that exaggerates accomplishments and rewards capitalistic success before the sporting variety.

— Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of exaggerates

Verb

When planning these collaborations, Smith emphasizes the importance of authenticity.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
The collectibles industry, once a niche hobby, has boomed since the pandemic with the help of marketing that emphasizes huge potential monetary wins.

— Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of emphasizes

Verb

Translating the team’s shooting numbers into a claim about Reese personally shutting down opponents overstates what those numbers establish.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026
By any account, the description overstates Lukas’ employment status.

— Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of overstates

Browse Nearby Words

overemphasized

overemphasizes

overemphasizing

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Overemphasizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overemphasizes. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of overemphasizes

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes