overstate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- overstatement noun
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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The Number Devil
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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.
Mackiewicz and Aune also pointed out that this kind of language can overstate what AI is capable of.
From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026
He didn’t want to overstate that finding, especially since about half of people reported being pessimistic about their future, but he hopes people can capitalize on that optimism.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
The risk to the strategy—and it is hard to overstate it—is that stocks will plummet should reports of peace prove false.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
It is hard to overstate what a game-changing moment this court verdict is for social media.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
It is difficult to overstate the importance of rice in North Korean culture.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
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.
