What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
overrepresent
Example
The survey overrepresents young people and underrepresents older adults. [overrepresents: verb]
Example
The study's findings may be biased due to the overrepresentation of a particular demographic. [overrepresentation: noun]
overstate
Example
The politician tends to overstate his accomplishments and downplay his failures. [overstate: verb]
Example
The article's headline overstates the severity of the issue. [overstates: present tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Overstate is more commonly used than overrepresent in everyday language. Overstate is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while overrepresent is less common and more specific to statistical or research contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between overrepresent and overstate?
Both overrepresent and overstate can be used in academic or professional contexts and have a formal tone. However, overstate may be perceived as more informal due to its negative connotation and association with exaggeration or deception.
