overdramatise
Make mountains, molehills
To overdramatise is to exaggerate the significance or emotional intensity of something, treating minor matters as major crises: She tends to overdramatise every small setback.
The word implies theatrical excess—making a scene where calm would suffice.
British spelling of overdramatize.
Represent as greater
- embellishAdd decorative elements
- inflateFill with gas
- amplifyIncrease in strength
- overplayEmphasize excessively
overemphasize · magnify · blow out of proportion · make a mountain out of a molehill · overdraw · stretch · distort · sensationalize
Exaggeratedly emotional in behavior
- theatricalExaggeratedly emotional for effect
- hammyExcessively theatrical in style
- overwroughtExcessively emotional or elaborate
- sensationalArousing intense excitement
schmaltzy · sappy · maudlin · soap opera · tearjerker · telenovela · campy · over-the-top
Expressing distress behaviorally
- milking itProlonging for advantage
- scene-stealingOutperforming others onstage
- showboatingOstentatious self-display
- grandstandingPerforming to impress onlookers
playing to the gallery · posturing · mugging · emoting · gesticulating · hand-wringing · wailing · swooning
overstate
Represent as greater
overplay · overemphasize · magnify · blow out of proportion · make a mountain out of a molehill · overdraw · stretch · distort · sensationalize · hyperbolize
histrionic
Exaggeratedly emotional in behavior
- theatricalExaggeratedly emotional for effect
- hammyExcessively theatrical in style
- overwroughtExcessively emotional or elaborate
sensational · schmaltzy · sappy · maudlin · soap opera · tearjerker · telenovela · campy · over-the-top · hysterical
acting out
Expressing distress behaviorally
- milking itProlonging for advantage
- scene-stealingOutperforming others onstage
- showboatingOstentatious self-display
playing to the gallery · grandstanding · posturing · mugging · emoting · gesticulating · hand-wringing · wailing · swooning · fainting couch
overdramatiseunderstate
Express with restraint
downplay · minimise · underplay · play down · de-emphasise
overdramatiseunderstate
Express with restraint
downplay · play down · minimise · underplay · soft-pedal
overdramatize, overdramatized, overdramatizing, overdramatizes, overdramatised, overdramatises, overdramatising