overplay

overplay
o‧ver‧play /ˌəʊvəˈpleɪ $ ˌoʊvər-/ verb [transitive]
1. to make something seem more important than it is
   OPP  underplay:
    His role in the group’s success has been overplayed.
2. overplay your hand to behave too confidently because you think you are in a stronger position than you actually are:
    The unions overplayed their hand in the end and failed to get the pay rise they wanted.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ exaggerate to say that something is much bigger, better, worse, more important etc than it really is: He exaggerated his own achievements. | These claims are wildly exaggerated. | The grass in the garden was about three feet high – I’m not exaggerating.
   ▪ blow something (up) out of all proportion to say a situation or event is a lot worse or much more serious than it really is: The problem really has been blown up out of all proportion.
   ▪ make too much of something to treat something that has happened as though it were more important or serious than it really is – used especially when saying that you should not do this: She loved the fact that he’d sent her flowers, but she didn’t want to make too much of it in case it meant nothing. | It's probably nothing – children often get these strange ideas. You shouldn’t make too much of them
   ▪ overemphasize (also overemphasise British English) to say that a part of something is more important and has a bigger effect than is really true, especially in relation to other things: The importance of cleanliness in the preparation of food cannot be overemphasized. | Historians have tended to overemphasize the role of the monarchy in British history.
   ▪ overstate to describe something in a way that makes it sound more important or serious than it really is: Sometimes she overstates her case. | The importance of advertising can hardly be overstated.
   ▪ overplay to make something seem more important than it is, in the way that you talk about it or treat it: The media has greatly overplayed this issue.
   ▪ glorify to make someone or something seem much better, less harmful etc than they really are – used when you think it is wrong to do this: His films glorify violence. | My father never glorified war. | These images were produced in order to glorify the empire.
   ▪ talk something up informal to talk about something in a way that makes it appear more important, interesting, or successful than it really is, especially to get someone’s support or interest: At the interview, he talked up his experience of working in sales. | The government tried to talk up the threat posed by these countries, in order to justify an increase in military spending.
   ▪ overrated adjective if you think someone or something is overrated, you think they are not nearly as good as people claim: I think her books are overrated. | As a player he’s overrated.
   ▪ idealized adjective an idealized image, view, picture etc of someone or something shows them as being much better than they really are: His books give an idealized picture of English rural life. | her friend’s idealized view of marriage