overstate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
overstates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
overstated,
past participle, past
-
overstating
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
overstatesimple
-
overstatessimple
-
have overstatedperfect
-
has overstatedperfect
-
am overstatingprogressive
-
are overstatingprogressive
-
is overstatingprogressive
-
have been overstatingperfect progressive
-
has been overstatingperfect progressive
Past
-
overstatedsimple
-
had overstatedperfect
-
was overstatingprogressive
-
were overstatingprogressive
-
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
“Mandatory Vaccination is Not the Answer to Measles” by Bob Sears
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Bunnicula
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Vermeij believes it's possible to overstate the significance of the leaks.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Analysts say statements such as Khezrian’s overstate the case, but they nevertheless acknowledge the axis has proved more resilient than expected.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
"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
It would be difficult to overstate the influence Taylor Swift has had over the pop scene in this decade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
In fact, by terming it a 'problem', I perhaps overstate the matter.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Of the 130 companies scored, roughly half showed meaningful AI activity by any measure — but even that overstates it.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
That phrasing wildly overstates the case, perhaps conveying the impression that there is some voter fraud, even an uncomfortable amount, but just not enough to sway an election.
From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026
Mr. McGinnis overstates the importance of giving by the rich as well.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026
Nancy Vanden Houten, lead economist at Oxford Economics, said the report "overstates" the emerging strength of the labour market, noting that the bulk of the job gains were concentrated in just a few sectors.
From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026
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
The economists caution that this doesn’t necessarily mean the BLS has solved its problems, and that the risk remains that job growth since last March is being overstated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
"We think both things are true, in part, but should not be dramatically overstated at this point."
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Some researchers have responded that such apocalyptic statements about AI’s near-term impact on employment are grossly overstated and ignore the impact of new jobs that will be created.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
The magnetic pull of RØZ — whose stage name is pronounced like the second syllable in “arroz” — cannot be overstated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
For most of us, the periodic table is a thing of beauty in the abstract, but for chemists it established an immediate orderliness and clarity that can hardly be overstated.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
I haven’t finished reading the book yet, but I think the authors might be overstating their case.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
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
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
I doubt that I am overstating the case here: our capacity to understand and manipulate human genomes alters our conception of what it means to be “human.”
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
