overemphasis

[oh-ver-em-fuh-sis] / ˌoʊ vərˈɛm fə sɪs /

NOUN

exaggeration

Synonyms

STRONGEST

baloney excess fabrication falsehood fantasy hyperbole misjudgment misrepresentation untruth

STRONG

aggrandizement amplification boasting caricature coloring crock elaboration embroidery emphasis enlargement exaltation extravagance fancy hogwash inflation line magnification overestimation pretension pretentiousness rant romance stretch whopper yarn

WEAK

figure of speech fish story flight of fancy jazz tall story

Antonyms

STRONGEST

truth

STRONG

compression decrease lessening shrinkage

WEAK

minimization reduction understatement unembellishment

NOUN

sensationalism

Synonyms

STRONG

aggrandizement boasting excess fabrication hype hyperbole puffery whopper

WEAK

fish story tabloid journalism tall story yellow journalism

NOUN

tall talk

Synonyms

WEAK

aggrandizement amplification baloney boasting caricature crock elaboration embroidery enlargement exaltation excess extravagance fabrication falsehood fancy fantasy figure of speech fish story flight of fancy hogwash hyperbole hyperbolism inflation jazz line magnification misjudgment misrepresentation overestimation overstatement pretension pretentiousness rant romance stretch tall story untruth whopper yarn

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

An overemphasis on winning risks rewarding the vigilant while exhausting everyone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

Thomas Dee, a Stanford University education professor and economist, warns that an overemphasis on telling parents to send their children to school with a cold could backfire.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2025

“I think that actually goes part and parcel with some of the overemphasis on these big highway widening projects.”

From Seattle Times • May 31, 2024

"Dirty fuel, the overemphasis on external markers of achievement," she says, "over time is going to clog up your kid's engine."

From Salon • Aug. 26, 2023

Many a boy's power to enjoy the rhythm and melody of poetry has been destroyed by the overemphasis of the critical facility during his high school course.

From How to Teach by Strayer, George Drayton

overemphasis

Example Sentences

Related Words