overplay

verb
UK: /ˌəʊvəˈpleɪ/
US: /ˌoʊvərˈpleɪ/

  1. To exaggerate or make something seem more important than it really is.

    1. He tends to overplay his role in the project success.
    2. The media often overplay the danger of these minor incidents.

  2. To perform a role or character in an exaggerated way.

    1. The actor tends to overplay the villain's emotions.
    2. She was criticized for overplaying her part in the school play.

  3. In card games, to play a higher card than necessary.

    1. Don't overplay your ace; save it for later.
    2. He made a mistake and overplayed his hand early in the game.

Synonyms

dramatize overdo embellish magnify exaggerate
overplay noun

  1. An act of exaggerating something.

    1. His overplay of the situation caused unnecessary alarm.
    2. The director's overplay ruined an otherwise good performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "overplay" in English means: To exaggerate or make something seem more important than it really is., To perform a role or character in an exaggerated way., In card games, to play a higher card than necessary..

The phonetic transcription of "overplay" is /ˌəʊvəˈpleɪ/ in British English and /ˌoʊvərˈpleɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "overplay": dramatize, overdo, embellish, magnify, exaggerate.

Example usage of "overplay": "He tends to overplay his role in the project success.". More examples on the page.