overact

Verb

overact (third-person singular simple present overacts, present participle overacting, simple past and past participle overacted)

1. (intransitive) To act in an exaggerated manner.
   • He overacted his part.
   • If governments overact and become oppressive, the terrorists will have won, for their theory is that repression will eventually lead to revolution.1989, Susheela Bhan, Terrorism: an Annotated Bibliography, page 116
2. (obsolete, transitive) To act upon, or influence, unduly.
   • The hope of inheritance overacts them.1670, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in The History of Britain, that Part Especially now Call’d England. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for James Allestry, […] , →OCLC
   • The χαμολνία, Humicubation, lying upon ground, &c. which things have been overacted, and still are in the Greek and Roman Churches.1695, John Whitefoot, A Discourse upon I. Peter IV. VIII., Cambridge: John Hayes, page 16