overplay

verb

over·​play ˌō-vər-ˈplā 

overplayed; overplaying; overplays

transitive verb

1

a

: to present (a dramatic role) extravagantly : exaggerate

b

: to place too much emphasis on

2

: to rely too much on the strength of

—usually used in the phrase overplay one's hand

3

: to strike a golf ball beyond (a putting green)

intransitive verb

: to exaggerate a part or effect

Examples of overplay in a Sentence

The network news overplayed the story just to get good ratings.

He overplayed the death scene.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the president-elect's favors are fickle, and there are already signs that Musk may be overplaying his hand. —Scott Rosenberg, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024

The president believed that the media, and political rivals such as Trump, were overplaying the threat. —Joe Klein, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2017

Hoult is the center of the film and never overplays the torment roiling inside. —Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024

Doherty could have overplayed the sting of that line by arching an eyebrow or twisting her mouth into a little smirk. —Jen Chaney, Vulture, 16 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1767, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing overplay

• overplay one's cards
• overplay one's hand

Kids Definition

overplay

verb

over·​play ˌō-vər-ˈplā 

1

: exaggerate, overemphasize

newspapers overplayed the story

2

: to rely too much on the strength of

overplayed my hand and lost