overstated 1 of 2

overstated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of overstate
as in exaggerated
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!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 overstated
Adjective
Rendered with the broad strokes of an overstated stage drama, the new surrealist comedy from Quentin Dupieux is light and largely uneventful. Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 18 May 2026 Some of it is deserved, some of it is a little overstated. David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026 Carmakers registered $65 billion in write-offs globally as companies were forced to overhaul their EV investments, squeezed by a pivot in US climate policy and an overstated enthusiasm for the green transition. Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026 For the Fed, which was raising interest rates in 2023 and 2024, this meant that policy decisions may have been based on an overstated view of economic strength. Jeff Gapusan, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 Getty Images The committee's move followed a June Federal Railroad Administration compliance review that concluded the California High-Speed Rail Authority lacked a viable path to complete the project on time or on budget and flagged overstated ridership projections and other management failures. Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
Kiyosaki may also have overstated Kimi’s importance in his life. Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026 Nordic Rail Network Still Under Construction The Nordic rail revival should not be overstated, however. David Nikel, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 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 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 Garry South, a veteran California Democratic strategist, said the electoral impact of gubernatorial debates is nevertheless often overstated. Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026 Many of these concerns are real, while others may be overstated. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 In his view, the benefits of testosterone therapy are often overstated, particularly in the realm of longevity. Will Stone, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overstated
Adjective
  • The brothers’ defense lawyers countered that the UK allegations are years old, have not resulted in convictions, and their claims to be wealthy were exaggerated to promote online businesses and to generate attention.
    Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The only-in-New York Scaffold Law adds millions of dollars to every construction project through inflated settlements and insurance costs, much of which is alleged to be driven by fraud and exaggerated claims.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The ex-couple were again spotted together the following year at the funeral for Panettiere’s brother, Jansen, who died from an enlarged heart in February 2023.
    Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026
  • All3MI boss Louise Pedersen left, with Banijay Rights CEO Cathy Payne running the enlarged business.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Lunar eclipses are also completely safe to view with the naked eye, or even through a pair of binoculars of a telescope, which will offer a magnified view of the moon as Earth's shadow sweeps across its cratered landscape.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • If that foreground star hosts a planet, the planet leaves ripples in the magnified light.
    Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 6 July 2026
Adjective
  • The backpack is also designed with a padded laptop sleeve, several pockets, and a detachable pouch for storing valuables or toiletries.
    Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The backpack should sit at waist level, fit snugly against the back, and be worn with both padded shoulder straps, not over one shoulder.
    Michael Swartzon, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • This feed-in jumbo braid updo on Teyonah Parris is achieved by adding a lot of pre-stretched braiding hair when creating the cornrows.
    Omenaa Boakye, InStyle, 19 July 2026
  • But the case shapes alone tell you Samsung isn’t treating the Wide as a stretched version of the Ultra.
    Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • For me, the highlight of last week’s season premiere was not the wildly overblown fight between Shannon Beador and Tamra Judge, but all the glorious flashbacks to a time when RHOC wasn’t borderline unwatchable.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Others say the hype around the study is overblown, since the viruses were relatively simple to create.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The embellished number was covered in chains and grommets in a mix of metallic finishes.
    Kelsey Stiegman, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Groups of four gather for play, cocktails and canapés in a space colored after Caroline Astor’s embellished dresses and jewelry.
    Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • These include, but are not limited to, contracts granted at inflated costs to Bastien Baudoin, the head of the consultancy firm Tyrex Conseil, and the company Ludoparc, for the building of a children’s playground.
    Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But Puck’s inflated branding has, over time, come to look almost prophetic.
    Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Overstated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overstated. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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