Overplay
verb
To give too much importance or attention to something, or to present something in a way that is too dramatic.
He overplayed his injuries to get the referee's attention.
Often appears as...
- overplay a role
- overplay the importance
verb
In games like Poker, to bet or bluff too strongly given the strength of your hand.
He overplayed his hand and lost the game.
Often appears as...
- overplay a hand
- overplay a card
verb
To give too much importance or attention to something, or to present something in a way that is too dramatic.
He overplayed his injuries to get the referee's attention.
Often appears as...
- overplay a role
- overplay the importance
verb
In games like Poker, to bet or bluff too strongly given the strength of your hand.
He overplayed his hand and lost the game.
Often appears as...
- overplay a hand
- overplay a card
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity
Overplay can suggest someone is pretending or is not genuine, often used negatively.
Her astonishment was overplayed; I could tell she wasn't that surprised.
Pro Tip 2/3Dramatic Effect
Used in performance contexts to criticize an actor for excessive dramatization.
He overplayed his character, making the scene feel unrealistic.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid in Formal Writing
More common in spoken English; may be too informal for academic or professional writing.
In casual conversation, someone might say a politician overplayed his achievements.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity
Overplay can suggest someone is pretending or is not genuine, often used negatively.
Her astonishment was overplayed; I could tell she wasn't that surprised.
Pro Tip 2/3Dramatic Effect
Used in performance contexts to criticize an actor for excessive dramatization.
He overplayed his character, making the scene feel unrealistic.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid in Formal Writing
More common in spoken English; may be too informal for academic or professional writing.
In casual conversation, someone might say a politician overplayed his achievements.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity
Overplay can suggest someone is pretending or is not genuine, often used negatively.
Her astonishment was overplayed; I could tell she wasn't that surprised.
Pro Tip 2/3Dramatic Effect
Used in performance contexts to criticize an actor for excessive dramatization.
He overplayed his character, making the scene feel unrealistic.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid in Formal Writing
More common in spoken English; may be too informal for academic or professional writing.
In casual conversation, someone might say a politician overplayed his achievements.
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Video examples
Adam Grant: What frogs...
and prays to the high priest of grit. But sometimes, that leads us to keep going when we should stop to think again. Experiments show that gritty people are more likely to overplay their hands in casino games and more likely to keep trying to solve impossible puzzles.
Video examples
The security mirage -...
situations they don't control so once you take up skydiving or smoking you downplay the risks if a risk is thrust upon you terrorism is a good example you'll overplay it because you don't feel like it's in your control there are a bunch of other of these biases these
Video examples
Adam Grant: What frogs...
and prays to the high priest of grit. But sometimes, that leads us to keep going when we should stop to think again. Experiments show that gritty people are more likely to overplay their hands in casino games and more likely to keep trying to solve impossible puzzles.
Video examples
The security mirage -...
situations they don't control so once you take up skydiving or smoking you downplay the risks if a risk is thrust upon you terrorism is a good example you'll overplay it because you don't feel like it's in your control there are a bunch of other of these biases these
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Hannibal Buress
American Comedian
I think people overplay the 'Saturday Night Live' schedule. I mean, yeah, it can be some late hours. But the late hours are usually only one or two nights out of the week. You might have a crazy six-day week, but you'll work three weeks, and then you get a week off work. I'd take most jobs if it was hard work and then I got a week off.
Quote examples
Andrew Strauss
English Athlete
I don't want to overplay the diary's significance, but it's a really helpful batting aid. It's not an obsession because I don't spend more than 10 or 20 minutes writing a day - and not necessarily every day. I might write in it three days in a row and then not the next four. It depends on the situation.
Quote examples
Dennis Miller
American Comedian
Liberals should not overplay this weapons of mass destruction card, because you want me to tell you the truth? Most of us are not going to care if they don't find these weapons of mass destruction. It's enough for a lot of us to see those kids smiling on that street again.
Quote examples
Daniel Negreanu
Canadian Celebrity
Many players in the big blind get in trouble by calling pre-flop raises; they try to do too much. They don't want to get bullied, so they attempt a tricky check-raise bluff or overplay their hands in an ill-advised effort to push back.
Quote examples
Vinnie Paul
American Musician
A lot of young drummers have a tendency to really overplay. Sometimes simple is better, and the notes that aren't played between the spaces are bigger than the notes that are.
Quote examples
Euny Hong
American Journalist
You can call double-eyelid surgery wrong or see it as evidence of body dysmorphia, but don't overplay the race issue. It's insulting to those of us who are merely vain.
Quote examples
Jack Reynor
Irish Actor
So many Irish actors overplay that modesty because they're afraid people will judge them and say, 'The state of yer man, he thinks he's great,' or whatever.
Quote examples
Wyck Godfrey
American Producer
Sometimes people get in position where they get in a big movie and overplay their hand. What that huge check does is put a target on an actor's back.
Quote examples
John Cho
American Actor
Typically, actors overplay jargon or toss it away in an extravagant display of casualness. Real people hit the important parts hard.
Quote examples
Caroline Garcia
French Tennis Player
You have to play your best but you can't overplay.
Quote examples
Hannibal Buress
American Comedian
I think people overplay the 'Saturday Night Live' schedule. I mean, yeah, it can be some late hours. But the late hours are usually only one or two nights out of the week. You might have a crazy six-day week, but you'll work three weeks, and then you get a week off work. I'd take most jobs if it was hard work and then I got a week off.
Quote examples
Andrew Strauss
English Athlete
I don't want to overplay the diary's significance, but it's a really helpful batting aid. It's not an obsession because I don't spend more than 10 or 20 minutes writing a day - and not necessarily every day. I might write in it three days in a row and then not the next four. It depends on the situation.
Quote examples
Dennis Miller
American Comedian
Liberals should not overplay this weapons of mass destruction card, because you want me to tell you the truth? Most of us are not going to care if they don't find these weapons of mass destruction. It's enough for a lot of us to see those kids smiling on that street again.
Quote examples
Daniel Negreanu
Canadian Celebrity
Many players in the big blind get in trouble by calling pre-flop raises; they try to do too much. They don't want to get bullied, so they attempt a tricky check-raise bluff or overplay their hands in an ill-advised effort to push back.
Quote examples
Vinnie Paul
American Musician
A lot of young drummers have a tendency to really overplay. Sometimes simple is better, and the notes that aren't played between the spaces are bigger than the notes that are.
Quote examples
Euny Hong
American Journalist
You can call double-eyelid surgery wrong or see it as evidence of body dysmorphia, but don't overplay the race issue. It's insulting to those of us who are merely vain.
Quote examples
Jack Reynor
Irish Actor
So many Irish actors overplay that modesty because they're afraid people will judge them and say, 'The state of yer man, he thinks he's great,' or whatever.
Quote examples
Wyck Godfrey
American Producer
Sometimes people get in position where they get in a big movie and overplay their hand. What that huge check does is put a target on an actor's back.
Quote examples
John Cho
American Actor
Typically, actors overplay jargon or toss it away in an extravagant display of casualness. Real people hit the important parts hard.
Quote examples
Caroline Garcia
French Tennis Player
You have to play your best but you can't overplay.
Example 1 of 10
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