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overcompensate

o·ver·com·pen·sate
O o

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [oh-ver-kom-puh n-seyt]
    • /ˌoʊ vərˈkɒm pənˌseɪt/
    • /ˌəʊ.vəˈkɒm.pən.seɪt/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [oh-ver-kom-puh n-seyt]
    • /ˌoʊ vərˈkɒm pənˌseɪt/

Definitions of overcompensate word

  • verb with object overcompensate to compensate or reward excessively; overpay: Some stockholders feel the executives are being overcompensated and that bonuses should be reduced. 1
  • verb without object overcompensate to exhibit psychological overcompensation; strive to overcome a sense of inferiority through overt, opposite behavior: The aggressive patient may be overcompensating, and be a profoundly shy person beneath the façade. 1
  • noun overcompensate Take excessive measures in attempting to correct or make amends for an error, weakness, or problem. 1
  • intransitive verb overcompensate try too hard to correct sth 1
  • intransitive verb overcompensate try too hard to correct 1
  • transitive verb overcompensate pay too much 1
See all 12 definitions of overcompensate

Information block about the term

Origin of overcompensate

First appearance:

before 1760
One of the 46% newest English words
1760-70; over- + compensate; as term in psychology, perhaps back formation from overcompensation

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Overcompensate

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Overcompensate

overcompensate popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 48% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
According to our data about 51% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.

overcompensate usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for overcompensate

verb overcompensate

  • overreact — to react or respond more strongly than is necessary or appropriate.
  • overplay — to exaggerate or overemphasize (one's role in a play, an emotion, an effect, etc.): The young actor overplayed Hamlet shamelessly. The director of the movie had overplayed the pathos.
  • pay back — to settle (a debt, obligation, etc.), as by transferring money or goods, or by doing something: Please pay your bill.
  • atone — If you atone for something that you have done, you do something to show that you are sorry you did it.
  • balance — If you balance something somewhere, or if it balances there, it remains steady and does not fall.
All 41 Synonyms of overcompensate

Antonyms for overcompensate

verb overcompensate

  • deprive — If you deprive someone of something that they want or need, you take it away from them, or you prevent them from having it.
  • disproportion — lack of proportion; lack of proper relationship in size, number, etc.: architectural disproportions.
  • dissatisfy — to cause to be displeased, especially by failing to provide something expected or desired.
  • lose — to come to be without (something in one's possession or care), through accident, theft, etc., so that there is little or no prospect of recovery: I'm sure I've merely misplaced my hat, not lost it.
  • penalise — to subject to a penalty, as a person.
All 10 Antonyms of overcompensate

Top questions with overcompensate

  • what does overcompensate mean?

See also

Matching words

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