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overact

[ oh-ver-akt ]
/ ˌoʊ vərˈækt /
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verb (used with or without object)

to act in an exaggerated manner.

RELATED WORDS

overdo, exaggerate, overstate, overuse, overemphasize, maximize, magnify, stretch, dramatize, accent, overwork, mug, accentuate, hyperbolize, overdraw, overstress, overextend, overplay, act, overdramatize

Nearby words

  1. over-under,
  2. over-use,
  3. over-wind,
  4. overabundance,
  5. overachieve,
  6. overactive,
  7. overage,
  8. overaggressive,
  9. overall,
  10. overalls

Origin of overact

First recorded in 1605–15; over- + act
Related formso·ver·ac·tion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for overact

British Dictionary definitions for overact

overact

/ (ˌəʊvərˈækt) /

verb

to act or behave in an exaggerated manner, as in a theatrical productionAlso: overplay
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
Word Origin and History for overact

overact

v.

1610s, "to go too far in action," from over- + act (v.). Meaning "to play a part with too much emphasis, to chew the scenery" is from 1630s. Related: Overacted; overacting.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper