To present something as more important, extensive, severe or significant than it is.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- overstate a claim
- overstate an effect
On the page
The article overstated the effect by treating an uncertain estimate as a universal result.
The narrator overstated the disagreement until the recorded exchange was compared.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- overstate
- Past tense
- overstated
- Past participle
- overstated
- Present participle
- overstating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- overstate
- Present continuous
- am/is/are overstating
- Present perfect
- have/has overstated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been overstating
- Past
- overstated
- Past continuous
- was/were overstating
- Past perfect
- had overstated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been overstating
- Future
- will overstate
- Future continuous
- will be overstating
- Future perfect
- will have overstated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been overstating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: overstate; overstates; overstated; overstated; overstating Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: style analysis, interpretation, characterization, rhetorical contrast. Disciplines: literary analysis, prose writing, advanced general English. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: overstates.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.