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Synonyms

overemphasis

American  
[oh-ver-em-fuh-sis] / ˌoʊ vərˈɛm fə sɪs /

noun

  1. excessive or undue emphasis.


Other Word Forms

  • overemphatic adjective

Etymology

Origin of overemphasis

First recorded in 1895–1900; over- + emphasis

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.

An overemphasis on winning risks rewarding the vigilant while exhausting everyone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

Thomas Dee, a Stanford University education professor and economist, warns that an overemphasis on telling parents to send their children to school with a cold could backfire.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2025

The study, published last week in Nature Sustainability, found that an overemphasis on recycling has distracted us from better options for preventing waste.

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2023

Yet according to a growing body of research, an overemphasis on passion for one’s work can be detrimental in a number of ways.

From New York Times • Aug. 3, 2023

There had, indeed, been no overemphasis in the words she had used!

From The Adventures of Jimmie Dale by Packard, Frank L. (Frank Lucius)