
Overplay
Emotional Intensity
Overplay can suggest someone is pretending or is not genuine, often used negatively.

Her astonishment was overplayed; I could tell she wasn't that surprised.
Dramatic Effect
Used in performance contexts to criticize an actor for excessive dramatization.

He overplayed his character, making the scene feel unrealistic.
Avoid in Formal Writing
More common in spoken English; may be too informal for academic or professional writing.

In casual conversation, someone might say a politician overplayed his achievements.
Compare with
AmplifyDramatizeEmbellishExaggerateInflateMagnifyOverstateStretch
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