What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
overscoring
Example
The coach was accused of overscoring the importance of winning over sportsmanship. [overscoring: verb]
Example
The article's overscoring of the negative aspects of the company led to a backlash from its supporters. [overscoring: gerund or present participle]
overemphasize
Example
The teacher warned us not to overemphasize memorization at the expense of understanding. [overemphasize: verb]
Example
The media tends to overemphasize the negative aspects of a story to attract more viewers. [overemphasizing: gerund or present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Overemphasize is more commonly used than overscoring in everyday language and covers a wider range of contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between overscoring and overemphasize?
Overemphasize is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, while overscoring is more commonly used in informal or sports-related contexts and may sound less formal.
