overstate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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overstatesimple
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overstatessimple
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have overstatedperfect
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has overstatedperfect
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am overstatingprogressive
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are overstatingprogressive
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is overstatingprogressive
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have been overstatingperfect progressive
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has been overstatingperfect progressive
Past
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overstatedsimple
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had overstatedperfect
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was overstatingprogressive
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were overstatingprogressive
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had been overstatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overstate
Explanation
To overstate is to exaggerate or place too much importance on something. Your parents may overstate the dangers of driving on icy roads to scare you into being extra careful. If you want your brother to help you move some furniture, you might overstate how much your back hurts. And, if you're ready for lunch but your friend is dawdling, you'll be tempted to overstate how cranky you get when you're hungry. More seriously, politicians have been known to overstate the threat of terrorism or other dangers in order to gain support for a bill or a candidate.
Vocabulary lists containing overstate
"Ad Power," "Without Commercials," and "What's Wrong with Advertising"
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“Mandatory Vaccination is Not the Answer to Measles” by Bob Sears
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Bunnicula
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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:
"We also can't overstate the importance of the patient population and their involvement in developing therapies and their dedication to understanding their disease."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
The plaintiffs accused the board members of instead cherry-picking data to understate operating costs and overstate the financial performance of landlords.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Foster is careful not to overstate the link.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
“It is hard to overstate how unusual this is: a historically cyclical, commoditized segment moving from value destruction to the top of the global league table in just a few years,” Talbott said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 3, 2026
In fact, by terming it a 'problem', I perhaps overstate the matter.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Mr. McGinnis overstates the importance of giving by the rich as well.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026
Miran believes inflation data overstates underlying price pressures, reflecting outdated measures rather than current economic conditions.
From Barron's ● Dec. 15, 2025
Even this low number overstates the risk, since the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index historically has outperformed a portfolio containing all high-yielding stocks.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2025
Nancy Vanden Houten, a lead US economist at Oxford Economics, cautioned that the jump in new home sales in August "likely overstates any improvement in housing activity".
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2025
It also overstates the importance of rare geniuses, such as Watt and Edison.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
As for claims that the substance mimics the amino acid profile of human skin, Rogers said the comparison is often overstated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
"I'm pretty happy with that," the never-knowingly overstated Scott told BBC Sport after an emotional rendition of Flower of Scotland.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
The search threat turned out to be overstated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
They say the return on capex is being underestimated rather than overstated, and the earnings strength is broader than the handful of companies usually associated with it.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
The Neolithic Revolution is the invention of farming, an event whose significance can hardly be overstated.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Attorneys for plaintiffs in the case say Hochman is vastly overstating the level of fraud and relying on databases with faulty information about who was incarcerated in county custody as a juvenile.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
At the same time, she cautioned against overstating the gender differences.
From MarketWatch ● May 21, 2026
After Buntrock retired in 1997, he and four other executives were accused in a civil case by the Securities and Exchange Commission of overstating profits by $1.7 billion between 1992 to 1997.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
Carney said last week that some people were overstating Canada's reliance on the United States and that Washington does not get to dictate the terms of the upcoming trade negotiations.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
In his enthusiasm, he was overstating, but not by much.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
