overreact

Make mountains, molehills

To overreact is to respond more intensely than a situation warrants—becoming too angry, too worried, or too excited given the circumstances.

I know I'm probably overreacting, but I can't stop thinking about what she said.

The noun is overreaction: His resignation was an overreaction to mild criticism.

exaggerate

overstate

Represent as greater

amplify · magnify · embellish · escalate · overemphasize · hyperbole · overestimate · overdraw · distort · sensationalize

emotional

meltdown

Catastrophic loss of control

  • hysteriaUncontrollable emotional excess
  • panicUncontrollable sudden fear
  • frenzyViolent mental agitation

outburst · tantrum · freakout · blowup · agitation · turmoil · alarm · outrage · anxiety · overwhelm

theatrical

drama queen

Habitual emotional exaggerator

  • melodramaSensational, emotionally overwrought drama
  • theatricsExaggerated dramatic behavior
  • sceneDramatic unit or locale

spectacle · performance · hammy · histrionic · showy · attention-seeking · overacting · dramatic · stagy · playing to the gallery

impulsive

knee-jerk

Instinctive and unconsidered

  • hastyExcessively quick, ill-considered
  • rashHeedless or skin irritation
  • snapSudden sharp sound

impetuous · reckless · precipitate · unthinking · hair-trigger · hotheaded · defensive · volatile · thin-skinned · touchy

Categories
Opposites
emotional proportionality

overreactunderreact

Respond insufficiently to stimulus

stay calm · keep cool · keep one's cool · shrug off · brush off

Family

overreacting, overreacted, overreaction, overreacts, overreactions, overreactive

Familiarity
Top 20,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G