overplay

[ oh-ver-pley ]

verb (used with object)

1. to exaggerate or overemphasize (one's role in a play, an emotion, an effect, etc.):

   The young actor overplayed Hamlet shamelessly. The director of the movie had overplayed the pathos.

2. to put too much stress on the value or importance of:

   A charitable biographer had overplayed the man's piety and benevolence.

3. Cards. to overestimate the strength of (the cards in one's hand) with consequent loss.
4. Golf. to hit (the ball) past the putting green.
5. Archaic. outplay.

verb (used without object)

1. to exaggerate one's part, an effect, etc.; overact:

   Without a firm director she invariably overplays.

overplay

/ ˌəʊvəˈpleɪ /

verb

1. tr to exaggerate the importance of
2. another word for overact
3. overplay one's hand
   to overestimate the worth or strength of one's position

Word History and Origins

Origin of overplay¹

First recorded in 1640–50; over- + play

Example Sentences

I wasn’t quite sure what a spy ought to wear, really, whether you should underplay it or overplay it.

From Freakonomics

One of the reasons the United States ended up with this messy pullout is because the Pentagon overplayed its hand in 2009.

From Washington Post

Democrats can overplay their hand by stoking outrage in their supporters and end up being lambasted for being wrong or exaggerating.

From FiveThirtyEight

If defenders overplay Gilgeous-Alexander in his inevitable pursuit of the rim, he is one of the league’s foremost midrange artists because of his deceleration ability.

From FiveThirtyEight

The coverage was pretty normal, they weren’t overplaying anybody, and with that said we were scoring some goals.

From Washington Post

He is counting on his opponents to overplay their hand, and a forgiving public to let him do his job as governor.

From The Daily Beast

Republicans here have their work cut-out, but there is always the possibility that the Democrats will overplay their hand.

From The Daily Beast

Wells transformed old cheating and heart songs into soul music by resisting the overplay of emotion, writes singer Laura Cantrell.

From The Daily Beast

The main hope for the Have Nots is a Republican tendency to overplay their hand.

From The Daily Beast

“Obama has to be careful not to overplay this as something he did personally,” says Feehery.

From The Daily Beast

Even with such a negligible quantity as a deserted husband, it is a mistake to overplay the part.

From Project Gutenberg

She was not fool enough to overplay her hand, so her greeting was still disdainful, but when he tarried she did not send him away.

From Project Gutenberg

We scold it caressingly, as one reproves the overplay of a gracious child.

From Project Gutenberg

"Some day, though, he'll overplay his game," Benito prophesied.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• exaggerate
• maximize
• overdo
• overemphasize
• overstate
• overuse