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Recent Examples of overact
One could easily be accused of overacting, of doing too much.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
There are few instances of someone overacting more in a movie, unnecessarily adding an undercurrent of murderous, jokey psychotic to an already bizarre creation.
—Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2024
The college student performers from the Hartt School aren’t encouraged to overact during the party scene anymore — no more drunk jokes or pratfalls.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Dec. 2024
In regard to overacting, Pacino addresses it on a case-by-case basis: Some movies call for it, like Scarface.
—Chris Stanton, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2024
The performances seems inspired by the over-the-top techniques of actors who tried to do too much when sound finally came to films, but were used to overacting.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 25 Sep. 2024
Their turns are driven to cartoonish overacting in great part by the words they’ve been asked to say in English and in angry tones.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 30 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, Greenblatt’s playfully mischievous demeanor as Tina often reads as overacting.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024
The welcome lack of overacting is evident throughout the show.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2024
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
There are few instances of someone overacting more in a movie, unnecessarily adding an undercurrent of murderous, jokey psychotic to an already bizarre creation.
—Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2024
The college student performers from the Hartt School aren’t encouraged to overact during the party scene anymore — no more drunk jokes or pratfalls.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Dec. 2024
In regard to overacting, Pacino addresses it on a case-by-case basis: Some movies call for it, like Scarface.
—Chris Stanton, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2024
The performances seems inspired by the over-the-top techniques of actors who tried to do too much when sound finally came to films, but were used to overacting.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 25 Sep. 2024
Their turns are driven to cartoonish overacting in great part by the words they’ve been asked to say in English and in angry tones.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 30 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, Greenblatt’s playfully mischievous demeanor as Tina often reads as overacting.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024
The welcome lack of overacting is evident throughout the show.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overact
Verb
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And David Rosenberg subtly underplays Alex, an American ex-pat who’s haunted by ghosts of his own.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Feb. 2025
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Mainstream economists, however, believe Trump may be underplaying how damaging his policies could be.—
David Goldman,
CNN,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The need to continue developing faster and bigger networks may therefore be overplayed today.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
9 Feb. 2025
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The uselessness of law enforcement can be overplayed in some lesser horror films to the point of losing tension.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
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One of the underlying actuarial assumptions of Social Security when it was enacted, apparently, was that the government wouldn’t be paying a whole lot of money to a whole lot of retirees.—
Eli Amdur,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Illinois, California and Minnesota have enacted laws protecting the earnings of young creators, and Minnesota's law includes a similar provision to Utah's that allows content featuring minors to be taken down.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Travelers who act out drunk in public risk a fine up to €4,000 (around $4,300.64), the U.K. website states.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
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The show opens with the filming of a Continental movie, with Paul Dano acting out a deadly fight scene while director Peter Berg looks on.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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It’s been imitated to death by lesser films in the years that followed, but this first appearance still has a disarming spark.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2025
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With over 100,000 followers on Instagram, her inspiring style has been often imitated, but never replicated.—
Dan Howarth,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Today, Margaret would be playacting her own massacre in active shooter drills at school.—
Petula Dvorak,
Washington Post,
1 May 2023
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Trump’s modus, as ever, was to playact; his game has always been improv.—
Joe Klein,
Washington Post,
12 Jan. 2023
Verb
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In the face of tragedy, Dess’s narrator memorably dramatizes the anxiety-inducing exigencies of the creative arts, and the need of artists to remain focussed on their craft.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2025
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The show dramatizes a series of rapes in Washington and Colorado from 2008 to 2011, focusing on a survivor named Marie (Kaitlyn Dever) and the two detectives trying to solve the case, played brilliantly by Toni Collette and Merritt Wever.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Moving Racks for Better Yield: The strawberries transition seamlessly between warmth during the day and cooler temperatures at night, mimicking natural conditions and increasing annual production.—
Chrissy Tracey,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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Designers are quick to spot—and avoid—materials that mimic luxury but fall flat.—
Lauren Jones,
Southern Living,
23 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overact. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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