overdramatizing
Making mountains, molehills
Overdramatizing is making something seem more serious, emotional, or significant than it really is.
The word implies exaggeration for effect, whether deliberate or reflexive: She's overdramatizing—it was just a minor disagreement.
Someone who overdramatizes treats small setbacks as catastrophes or minor slights as deep betrayals.
Exaggeratedly emotional in behavior
- overwroughtExcessively emotional or elaborate
- theatricalExaggeratedly emotional for effect
- over-the-topExcessively dramatic or extravagant
- soap-operaSerialized melodramatic television drama
tearjerker · sensational · campy · grandiose · florid · effusive · ostentatious · hysterical
Represent as greater
- embellishAdd decorative elements
- inflateFill with gas
- amplifyIncrease in strength
- overplayEmphasize excessively
overemphasize · magnify · overdo · stretch · escalate · elaborate · embroider · aggrandize
Excessively emotional about memories
- weepyInclined to cry
- tearfulProne to weeping
- maudlinExcessively tearful sentiment
- sappyExcessively sentimental
schmaltzy · mushy · moody · temperamental · touchy · sulky · wistful · emotive
Intensely and sincerely felt
- vehementIntensely forceful in feeling
- fieryIntensely hot or passionate
- ardentIntensely enthusiastic or devoted
- zealousPassionately eager and active
forceful · extreme · excessive · unrestrained · explosive · heightened · impassioned · frenzied
histrionic
Exaggeratedly emotional in behavior
- overwroughtExcessively emotional or elaborate
- theatricalExaggeratedly emotional for effect
- over-the-topExcessively dramatic or extravagant
soap-opera · tearjerker · sensational · campy · grandiose · florid · effusive · ostentatious · hysterical · flamboyant
overstate
Represent as greater
overplay · overemphasize · magnify · overdo · stretch · escalate · elaborate · embroider · aggrandize · hyperbolize
sentimental
Excessively emotional about memories
sappy · schmaltzy · mushy · moody · temperamental · touchy · sulky · wistful · emotive · passionate
fervent
Intensely and sincerely felt
- vehementIntensely forceful in feeling
- fieryIntensely hot or passionate
- ardentIntensely enthusiastic or devoted
zealous · forceful · extreme · excessive · unrestrained · explosive · heightened · impassioned · frenzied · feverish
overdramatizingunderstating
Representing as less significant
downplaying · underreacting · minimizing · underplaying · playing down
overdramatizingkeeping cool
drama, dramatic, dramatize, melodramatic, dramatist, dramatics, dramatizing, dramatizes, dramatization