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Recent Examples of overact
In regard to overacting, Pacino addresses it on a case-by-case basis: Some movies call for it, like Scarface.
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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
If the blood levels are too high, the immune system can overact, causing pain, swelling and fatigue — symptoms often seen with Lyme disease.
—Caroline Hopkins, NBC News, 14 May 2023
The standout story features the wily, overacting Minna Nordstrom, née Vera Prebble, who secures herself a star contract (and forces the merger of several studios) by blackmailing every producer with a secret liquor stash.
—Boris Kachka, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2023
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
If the blood levels are too high, the immune system can overact, causing pain, swelling and fatigue — symptoms often seen with Lyme disease.
—Caroline Hopkins, NBC News, 14 May 2023
The standout story features the wily, overacting Minna Nordstrom, née Vera Prebble, who secures herself a star contract (and forces the merger of several studios) by blackmailing every producer with a secret liquor stash.
—Boris Kachka, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overact
Verb
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The contributors underplay the overwhelming pressures of population growth and rapid urbanization in some parts of Latin America, as well as the growing aspirations of middle classes that current growth rates will not soon satisfy.Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2020
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This double character of Arte Povera—artistic innovation intertwined with political critique—is visible in the artworks, even if the curators underplay it.Wilson Tarbox, ARTnews.com, 18 Oct. 2024
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Hoult is the center of the film and never overplays the torment roiling inside.Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024
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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
Verb
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The consent decree was enacted because a court found that minority voting power in the district was diluted.Madeleine Parrish, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
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He’s promised to enact even stricter border policies if elected, including mass arrests and deportations of undocumented migrants.Sara Dorn, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The Selzer poll has been viewed as evidence that pollsters calling the race a dead heat have been acting out of a desire to seek safety in numbers following the shock 2016 election result that failed to spot latent support for Trump.Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
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The trial ended with two deadlocked juries, unable to agree on whether the brothers were guilty of murder or acted out of fear.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Governed by Neptune, the planet of fantasy and film, Pisces is naturally drawn to iconic characters and cinematic flair, and Nyong’o’s choice proves that life really does imitate art.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
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Scammers will also often imitate someone in authority, such as a tax or debt collector.Adriana Morga, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
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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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Otto is also suicidal — something A Man Called Otto never sufficiently dramatizes, cheapening the codger’s despair as the film prepares for the feel-good ending to come.Tim Grierson, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024
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The true-crime thriller, which Entertainment Weekly covered in our Fall Movie Preview, dramatizes the stranger-than-fiction inclusion of serial killer Rodney Alcala on The Dating Game, a popular game show hosted by Jim Lange that premiered in 1965.Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 17 Oct. 2024
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In the new study, the team mimicked a sewer environment under extreme conditions in a lab and rapidly sped up the fatberg formation process over 30 days.Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
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These videos mimic content from U.S. government agencies and more than 50 news organizations, including the BBC, France 24, and Fox News.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Overact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overact. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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