overstatement
overstatement — noun
- overstatementsingular
- overstatementsplural
1. representing something as having greater importance, size, or seriousness than t
representing something as having greater importance, size, or seriousness than the truth justifies, so as to create a stronger impression
Calling the two-hour delay a 'total disaster' would be an overstatement, but it did cause serious problems for the team.
a/an overstatement (uncountable after indefinite article)
Nila admitted that describing the hike as 'life-threatening' was a slight overstatement, since they were never in real danger.
a slight / gross overstatement — common modifier pattern
Politicians often rely on overstatement to make their proposals sound more urgent than they actually are.
Without overstatement, the report simply stated the facts and let readers draw their own conclusions.
The article was criticized for overstatement, claiming the crime rate had doubled when it rose by only ten percent.
- exaggeration
more common and less formal than 'overstatement'; broader in use
- hyperbole
a deliberate, rhetorical exaggeration for effect; more technical/literary
- embellishment
focuses on adding decorative or dramatic detail to a story
- understatement
describing something as less important or serious than it truly is
用法筆記
Often used in negative constructions ('It is no overstatement to say…') to emphasise that what follows is literally true, not an exaggeration. Also common after modifiers such as 'slight', 'gross', or 'wild' to characterise the degree of exaggeration.
常見錯誤
2. a specific statement that makes something seem much larger, more serious, or mor
a specific statement that makes something seem much larger, more serious, or more important than the facts actually support
The claim that everyone in the neighbourhood supports the new shopping centre is an overstatement.
When Tomás said the exam was impossible, that was an overstatement — he passed with a decent grade.
a/an overstatement as a countable noun
Amihan's presentation avoided overstatements and stuck closely to verified data from the field study.
His book contains several overstatements about the company's environmental record, which journalists were quick to point out.
While some critics dismissed the report as full of overstatements, others said it was essentially accurate.
- exaggeration
more common and slightly less formal; can be used in the same contexts
- inflated claim
emphasises that the numbers or scale are blown up beyond reality
- understatement
a statement that makes something seem less important than it is
用法筆記
As a countable noun, it refers to a specific assertion — unlike sense 1 (uncountable), which refers to the general practice. 'Make an overstatement' is the most common verb collocation.