# overrated

/ˌoʊvɝˈɹeɪtɪd/ (US) · /ˌəʊvəɹˈeɪtɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/overrated
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. not as good as people say

adjective · CEFR B2

considered to be better than it actually is.

For teachers: valued or praised too highly; receiving more credit for quality than is objectively deserved.

- In my opinion, that famous pizza place is totally overrated and overpriced.
- Critics argued that the award-winning film was significantly overrated, citing its predictable plot and lack of character development.

Usage: Often used in the pattern 'highly overrated' or 'vastly overrated'.

Teaching tip: This is a common way to express a contrarian opinion about popular trends, movies, or restaurants.

## Examples

- In my opinion, that movie is totally overrated.
- Many critics argued that the restaurant was overrated, noting that the high prices did not match the mediocre food.
- While the novel received several prestigious awards, a vocal minority of readers felt it was overrated, citing its predictable plot and lack of character depth as significant flaws.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.