Definition of overstatenext
as in to exaggerate
to describe or express in too strong terms it appears you've somewhat overstated your computer skills, if you can't find the "on" button!

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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 overstate This may be overstated, but Scarlett Johansson, then residing in the country, won a 2014 decision in French court against a French author who, in a novel, depicted a Johansson doppelganger as carrying out multiple affairs. Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026 Our results almost certainly overstate how well these tools perform outside the clinic. Arya Rao, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026 In the summer doldrums, though the noise and headline remain loud, they’re often overstated. Todd Gordon, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026 This pessimism is understandable—but significantly overstated. Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overstate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overstate
exaggerate
Verb
  • Prosecutors described the brothers as flight risks who exaggerate, lie under oath and should remain behind bars.
    Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
  • According to naturalist Bill Finch, kudzu’s threat to Southern landscapes has been exaggerated.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Overstate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overstate. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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