as in exaggerating
to treat (something) with more importance than is needed or proper
The teacher tends to overemphasize the value of tests. The importance of a healthy diet cannot be overemphasized.
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Recent Examples of overemphasizing
Still, experts warn that there is such a thing as overemphasizing the data and getting bogged down by less-than-optimal scores.
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Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overemphasizing
Verb
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Allegations that are now spreading online could be misinterpreting records or exaggerating minor issues — or could be exposing actual fraudulent activity.—
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Studies have found that companies tend to buy cheap, low-quality carbon credits, which run a risk of exaggerating their carbon reduction claims or providing results that would have happened anyway, leaving no real climate benefit.—
Verb
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The team suggests potential applications in education and elder care, while emphasizing careful design to avoid misuse.—
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The Au Vieux Campeur collection will be housed here, emphasizing Gerbi’s intention to establish it as a stand-alone brand.—
Verb
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That might be overstating things a bit (especially for a few coaches, ahem, Jim Harbaugh).—
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The Tribune claimed that the city was overstating the success of the Blue Bag program by determining the recycling rate only when considering garbage sorted at MRRFs when, in fact, a lot of recyclables were going to waste transfer stations where they were hauled to landfills.—
Verb
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Your serving size should be an 8-oz cup to reap some of these benefits without overdoing it.—
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The texture starts light and creamy, then transforms into a soft foam that cleanses thoroughly without overdoing it.—
Verb
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Rising temperatures increase evaporation, further stressing a watershed already under pressure from growth and development.—
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The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans just dropped, and there’s one particular nugget in the mix that’s already stressing me out as a mom of four young kids.—
Cite this Entry
“Overemphasizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overemphasizing. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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