Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overact
There are few instances of someone overacting more in a movie, unnecessarily adding an undercurrent of murderous, jokey psychotic to an already bizarre creation.
—
Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2024
The college student performers from the Hartt School aren’t encouraged to overact during the party scene anymore — no more drunk jokes or pratfalls.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Dec. 2024
In regard to overacting, Pacino addresses it on a case-by-case basis: Some movies call for it, like Scarface.
—Chris Stanton, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2024
The performances seems inspired by the over-the-top techniques of actors who tried to do too much when sound finally came to films, but were used to overacting.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 25 Sep. 2024
Their turns are driven to cartoonish overacting in great part by the words they’ve been asked to say in English and in angry tones.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 30 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, Greenblatt’s playfully mischievous demeanor as Tina often reads as overacting.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024
The welcome lack of overacting is evident throughout the show.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2024
Sukowa seems to have been encouraged to overact, perhaps overcompensating for the film’s general listlessness.
—Pat Padua, Washington Post, 7 June 2023
Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2024
The college student performers from the Hartt School aren’t encouraged to overact during the party scene anymore — no more drunk jokes or pratfalls.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Dec. 2024
In regard to overacting, Pacino addresses it on a case-by-case basis: Some movies call for it, like Scarface.
—Chris Stanton, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2024
The performances seems inspired by the over-the-top techniques of actors who tried to do too much when sound finally came to films, but were used to overacting.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 25 Sep. 2024
Their turns are driven to cartoonish overacting in great part by the words they’ve been asked to say in English and in angry tones.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 30 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, Greenblatt’s playfully mischievous demeanor as Tina often reads as overacting.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024
The welcome lack of overacting is evident throughout the show.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2024
Sukowa seems to have been encouraged to overact, perhaps overcompensating for the film’s general listlessness.
—Pat Padua, Washington Post, 7 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overact
Verb
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Some companies overstate the benefits while underplaying the hazards.—
Aimee Pugh Bernard,
The Conversation,
28 Jan. 2025
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Notice the costs of underplaying the conversation, which many tend to do.—
Hylke Faber,
Forbes,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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To say that Trump is overplaying America's hand with regard to Russia is an understatement.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Barcelona is just about making its way past an era when overplayed elderly players shuffled about for far too high wages.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Some states are already making moves President Biden’s administration largely blocked states from enacting work rules of their own and required 10 states to remove the requirement for Medicaid coverage.—
Amanda Seitz,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2025
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The Ivanhoe grant marked only the latest fallout in the Kansas City metro from the wave of spending cuts and reductions enacted since President Donald Trump took office.—
Jonathan Shorman,
Kansas City Star,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Gracie using Benjamin Bratt to act out self-defense moves on national TV?—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2025
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Being a chameleon as a musician is one thing — Cyrus always had a great voice — but her ongoing identity crisis and need to act out came to define what was otherwise a productive and interesting time.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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For example, a light lavender lining peeks out from underneath the tool of the Rapunzel dress, which can be paired with a long, dramatic boa to imitate her lustrous mane.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
People.com,
11 Feb. 2025
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Between the lines: The BRT experience aims to imitate the experience of a subway or train.—
Andrew King,
Axios,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Today, Margaret would be playacting her own massacre in active shooter drills at school.—
Petula Dvorak,
Washington Post,
1 May 2023
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Trump’s modus, as ever, was to playact; his game has always been improv.—
Joe Klein,
Washington Post,
12 Jan. 2023
Verb
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In our age of self-kneecapping carefulness, Wohl both takes risks and dramatizes the moral dilemma of taking them.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2025
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Few Indian movies have so gently zeroed in on the way mental health conditions are used as a pretext to strip people of their humanity, even though the camera rarely probes Sundar enough to rebuild his personhood from the inside-out, or dramatize whatever haunts his waking moments.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Cybercriminals have adopted machine learning and AI to revolutionize their tactics, employing tools that automate reconnaissance, craft hyper-realistic phishing emails and mimic trusted voices or identities.—
Jeremy Dodson,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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Cows, sheep, and other livestock are allowed to roam freely in pastures that mimic natural environments.5 This is believed to be healthier for the animals and produce more nutrient-dense meat and milk.—
Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, LD,
Health,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overact. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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