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Showing results for overemphasize. Search instead for courts emphasize.
Synonyms

overemphasize

American  
[oh-ver-em-fuh-sahyz] / ˌoʊ vərˈɛm fəˌsaɪz /
especially British, overemphasise

verb (used with object)

  • overemphasizes,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • overemphasized,
    past participle,  past
  • overemphasizing
    present participle
  1. to emphasize excessively.


verb (used without object)

  • overemphasizes,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • overemphasized,
    past participle,  past
  • overemphasizing
    present participle
  1. to use excessive emphasis.

overemphasize British  
/ ˌəʊvərˈɛmfəˌsaɪz /

verb

  1. to give excessive emphasis or prominence to (something)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

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Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

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Etymology

Origin of overemphasize

First recorded in 1900–05; over- + emphasize


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

“There has been a propensity to overemphasize short term, technical headlines and overlook the broader direction of travel within our industry,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2025

The researchers are taking care not to overemphasize the results of their findings, saying the changes, while significant, remain slight.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 20, 2024

“I think the authors overemphasize the evolutionary significance of their work,” says Robert Blankenship, an emeritus biochemist at Washington University in St. Louis.

From Science Magazine ● Apr. 18, 2023

I cannot overemphasize how dumb it is that Scott finally filleted his reputation in full over this, a trolly Rasmussen poll.

From Slate ● Feb. 27, 2023

However, origin stories may leave out key aspects of what actually happened and overemphasize others.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

"I think our field overemphasizes testing with metabolic rate. People are actually very insensitive to changes in their own metabolic rate, so we're developing exoskeletons to do something that people can't actually perceive."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2023

Critics complain that extreme event attribution, as the effort is known, overemphasizes public communications and underestimates uncertainty.

From Science Magazine ● Jun. 15, 2022

It overemphasizes formality and presentation, attributes that favor fine dining.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 16, 2019

This article overemphasizes cheap gasoline as the main economic benefit from low oil prices.

From New York Times ● Jan. 21, 2016

Ancient nations emphasized the social-national aspect of life overmuch, as for example the Spartans; the modern home overemphasizes the family aspect.

From The Nervous Housewife by Abraham Myerson

A risk of a potential cyclical slowdown is overemphasized in markets for the Japanese maker of chip-testing equipment, Ito says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026

They are highlighting that he twice left low-level secretary of state office jobs after being written up for poor job performance and questions over whether he’s overemphasized his military service.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 18, 2022

It cannot be overemphasized: an ASI would be an extremely powerful technology.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2022

Toys might help facilitate that, though they shouldn’t be overemphasized.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2022

I had vastly overemphasized my importance in Tracy's eyes.

From Through these Eyes The courageous struggle to find meaning in a life stressed with cancer by Lauren Ann Isaacson

Skeptics have cautioned that AI models are prone to mistakes and overemphasizing the technology could restrict the types of studies researchers pursue.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

But overemphasizing the benefits of tree planting for carbon capture "can disincentive the protection of intact ecosystems and can lead to negative trade-offs between carbon, biodiversity, and ecosystem function," the authors write.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2023

She likes to lean into the drama of her songs, elongating words by overemphasizing certain syllables — a playful antithesis to the articulation-isn’t-important attitude that prevails across so much of today’s pop music.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 5, 2022

The issue is overemphasizing them as primary solutions.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2022

She brings her toes and heels together in a single dramatic click, overemphasizing a military way of standing straight.

From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle

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