oversimplify

American  

[oh-ver-sim-pluh-fahy] / ˌoʊ vərˈsɪm pləˌfaɪ /

verb (used with or without object)

oversimplified, oversimplifying

1. to simplify to the point of error, distortion, or misrepresentation.

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oversimplify British  

/ ˌəʊvəˈsɪmplɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to simplify (something) to the point of distortion or error

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Other Word Forms

• oversimplification noun

Etymology

Origin of oversimplify

First recorded in 1920–25; over- + simplify

Example Sentences

Ahead of council tax rises for millions of people this April, StepChange has called for an end to imprisonment and "unsympathetic or oversimplified messaging" over non-payment.

From BBC

“We are concerned this testing, without the proper scientific, regulatory and environmental context, can lead to oversimplified statements, not representative of the product category or industry.”

From Salon

“I think we are way oversimplifying health here and worry that some women will not get treated for major conditions.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The goal of this research is not to create a new warning story for the modern world, but to replace an oversimplified one.

From Science Daily

Together, these organisms determine how carbon is stored and recycled in the ocean, and treating them as a single group can oversimplify the ocean's response to climate pressures.

From Science Daily