o ‧ ver ‧ play /ˌəʊvəˈpleɪ $ ˌoʊvər-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . to make something seem more important than it is OPP underplay :
His role in the group’s success has been overplayed.
2 . overplay your hand to behave too confidently because you think you are in a stronger position than you actually are:
The unions overplayed their hand in the end and failed to get the pay rise they wanted.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ exaggerate to say that something is much bigger, better, worse, more important etc than it really is:
He exaggerated his own achievements.
|
These claims are wildly exaggerated.
|
The grass in the garden was about three feet high – I’m not exaggerating.
▪ blow something (up) out of all proportion to say a situation or event is a lot worse or much more serious than it really is:
The problem really has been blown up out of all proportion.
▪ make too much of something to treat something that has happened as though it were more important or serious than it really is – used especially when saying that you should not do this:
She loved the fact that he’d sent her flowers, but she didn’t want to make too much of it in case it meant nothing.
|
It's probably nothing – children often get these strange ideas. You shouldn’t make too much of them
▪ overemphasize ( also overemphasise British English ) to say that a part of something is more important and has a bigger effect than is really true, especially in relation to other things:
The importance of cleanliness in the preparation of food cannot be overemphasized.
|
Historians have tended to overemphasize the role of the monarchy in British history.
▪ overstate to describe something in a way that makes it sound more important or serious than it really is:
Sometimes she overstates her case.
|
The importance of advertising can hardly be overstated.
▪ overplay to make something seem more important than it is, in the way that you talk about it or treat it:
The media has greatly overplayed this issue.
▪ glorify to make someone or something seem much better, less harmful etc than they really are – used when you think it is wrong to do this:
His films glorify violence.
|
My father never glorified war.
|
These images were produced in order to glorify the empire.
▪ talk something up informal to talk about something in a way that makes it appear more important, interesting, or successful than it really is, especially to get someone’s support or interest:
At the interview, he talked up his experience of working in sales.
|
The government tried to talk up the threat posed by these countries, in order to justify an increase in military spending.
▪ overrated adjective if you think someone or something is overrated, you think they are not nearly as good as people claim:
I think her books are overrated.
|
As a player he’s overrated.
▪ idealized adjective an idealized image, view, picture etc of someone or something shows them as being much better than they really are:
His books give an idealized picture of English rural life.
|
her friend’s idealized view of marriage