overstate
gb/ˈoʊvɚstˌeɪt/ us/ˈoʊvɚstˌeɪt/
C1
English
eltúloz, felülbecsül, a valósnál magasabbnak tüntet fel
VERB
C1
1
eltúloz
B2
Usage pattern:
overstate [something]
The article overstates the danger and ignores the safety improvements made in recent years.
A cikk eltúlozza a veszélyt, és figyelmen kívül hagyja az utóbbi években végrehajtott biztonsági fejlesztéseket.
I think you're overstating the difference between the two proposals.
Szerintem eltúlzod a két javaslat közötti különbséget.
Politicians often overstate what they can achieve in their first year.
Learner examples
Don't overstate the problem; we can fix it.
Ne túlozd el a problémát; meg tudjuk oldani.
She overstated how difficult the exam was.
Eltúlozta, milyen nehéz volt a vizsga.
Common mistake:
Do not use overstate to mean simply 'state again'; use repeat or restate for that meaning.
Meaning
exaggerate something in words
Collocations
overstate the importance of something
|overstate the impact
|overstate the risk
|overstate the problem
|overstate the benefits
|overstate the difference
|greatly overstate
|slightly overstate
|tend to overstate
|be easy to overstate
Synonyms
exaggerate (more common and general; can be used for speech, stories, or behavior)
|
inflate (suggests making something seem bigger or more impressive than it is)
|
overemphasize (focuses on giving something too much importance rather than making false claims)
Antonyms
understate (to present something as smaller, less important, or less serious than it is)
|
downplay (to make something seem less important or serious, often deliberately)
Themes
communication
|opinions
|media
|argument
Definition
to say that something is bigger, more important, or more serious than it really is
To describe or present something as larger, better, worse, more important, or more serious than it really is.
VERB
C1
BUSINESS
2
Usage pattern:
overstate [an amount/value/figure]
The company was accused of overstating its profits by millions of dollars.
A vállalatot azzal vádolták, hogy több millió dollárral a valósnál magasabbnak tüntette fel a nyereségét.
Early estimates overstated the number of people affected by the outage.
A korai becslések felülbecsülték a szolgáltatáskiesés által érintett emberek számát.
If you overstate your expenses on a tax return, you could face penalties.
Learner examples
The report overstated the cost of the project.
A jelentés felülbecsülte a projekt költségét.
They overstated sales for the quarter.
A negyedéves eladásokat a valósnál magasabbnak tüntették fel.
Common mistake:
In finance, overstate means the reported number is too high; understate means it is too low.
Meaning
report a value too high
Collocations
overstate profits
|overstate earnings
|overstate revenue
|overstate assets
|overstate liabilities
|overstate costs
|overstate the value
|overstate the number
|materially overstate
|significantly overstate
Synonyms
inflate (often implies increasing a figure artificially or misleadingly)
|
exaggerate (less technical and more often used for descriptions than accounts)
|
overestimate (often means calculate or judge too high, not necessarily formally report)
Antonyms
understate (to report a number or value as lower than it really is)
|
underestimate (to judge or calculate something as lower than it really is)
Themes
business
|finance
|accounting
|statistics
Definition
to give a number or value that is higher than the true one
To state or record an amount, value, or figure as higher than it really is, especially in financial or statistical information.
Grammar
Dictionary form
overstate
IPA
GB/ˈoʊvɚstˌeɪt/
US/ˈoʊvɚstˌeɪt/
Syllables & stress
over - state (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (over)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: overstate
- 3rd Person Singular: overstates
- Present Participle: overstating
- Past: overstated
Expressions
cannot be overstated
1/kænˈɑt bˈi ˈoʊvɚstˌeɪtɪd/
fixed phrase
deserves maximum emphasis
used to say that something is extremely important
Examples
- The need for regular backups cannot be overstated.
- The role of teachers in early childhood development cannot be overstated.
- The seriousness of the situation cannot be overstated.
Learner examples
- The importance of sleep cannot be overstated.
- The value of practice cannot be overstated.
it is hard to overstate
1/ˈɪt ˈɪz hˈɑɹd tə ˈoʊvɚstˌeɪt/
fixed phrase
something is extremely important
used to say that something is very important or very great
Examples
- It is hard to overstate the importance of clean drinking water.
- It's difficult to overstate how much the internet has changed daily life.
- It would be hard to overstate the pressure the team was under.
Learner examples
- It is hard to overstate her influence on the company.
- It's hard to overstate how happy we were.
overstate the case
1/ˈoʊvɚstˌeɪt ðə kˈeɪs/
fixed phrase
make an argument too strong
to make a claim sound stronger than the facts allow
Examples
- He has a fair point, but he overstates the case when he says the policy has completely failed.
- Critics sometimes overstate the case against remote work.
- To say the city is unsafe would be overstating the case.
Learner examples
- You have a good argument, but don't overstate the case.
- Calling it a disaster overstates the case.