overplay
/ˌəʊvəˈpleɪ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌəʊvərˈpleɪ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌō-vər-ˈplā/ (ame, mw)
overplay — verb
- overplaypresent simple I / you / we / they
- overplayshe / she / it
- overplayedpast simple
- overplaying-ing form
1. to treat a topic, feeling, or piece of news as if it matters more than it actual
to treat a topic, feeling, or piece of news as if it matters more than it actually does, often by talking about it too much or making it sound dramatic.
Christopher overplayed the small mistake in his sister's wedding speech for weeks afterward.
overplay + concrete noun (mistake / incident)
Reporters often overplay minor disagreements between members of the royal family.
subject: media / reporters; object: minor disagreement
The coach told Ishaan not to overplay his injury when speaking to the team doctor.
Critics felt the new film overplayed the dangers of social media for teenagers.
Try not to overplay your role in the project to the new director.
- exaggerate
neutral and very common; 'overplay' is more about deliberately giving extra weight
- overstate
close synonym, slightly more formal; common with 'overstate the case / risk'
- play up
informal phrasal verb; very close in meaning to this sense of 'overplay'
- downplay
direct opposite — make something seem less important than it is
- understate
more formal opposite, often about figures or seriousness
文法句型
overplay + noun (issue / role / problem)
用法筆記
Object is usually something the speaker thinks the subject has made too much fuss about — an injury, a risk, a personal achievement, or a minor news story. Frequently paired with media subjects (reporters, papers, the press).
常見錯誤
2. to lose an advantage in a negotiation, argument, or contest because you believed
to lose an advantage in a negotiation, argument, or contest because you believed you were in a stronger position than you actually were and pushed too hard.
The union overplayed its position and ended up with a worse contract than before.
overplay + one's position (negotiation context)
Tomás overplayed his hand in the salary talks and lost the job offer entirely.
fixed expression: overplay one's hand
By demanding a full apology, the small country overplayed its hand against a larger trading partner.
Defne realised too late that she had overplayed her advantage in the court case.
- overreach
very close — try to do more than your strength allows; often intransitive
- miscalculate
broader; about wrong judgement generally, not only about strength
- underplay
deliberately make your position seem weaker than it is, often as a strategy
文法句型
overplay + one's hand / position / advantage
用法筆記
Almost always appears as 'overplay one's hand' or 'overplay one's position / advantage'. Distinguish from sense 1: here the subject does not just exaggerate — they actually lose something because they overestimated their strength. Usually told from hindsight (past tense, with a negative result).