Difference between overhyped and overrated?

Status
Not open for further replies.

TheShadow

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Dutch
Home Country
Belgium
Current Location
Belgium
Hi,


What's the difference between those two?


Thanks
 
Not a lot.

In what context do you want to use them?

Rover
 
Not a lot.

In what context do you want to use them?

Rover

For example:

Swine flu was overhyped by the media
and
Swine flu was overrated by the media

Thanks
 
I'd go for 'overhyped' there.

For me 'overhyped' is more to do with what the media and public relations people have done. 'Overrated' is more to do with what the crtics or people in general have said or written..

Something may be overhyped and overrated, overhyped but not overrated, or overrated but not overhyped, in my opinion.
 
Hi,


What's the difference between those two?


Thanks


NOT A TEACHER


(1) I cannot give you the answer.

(2) I can, however, give an example of someone probably being overhyped and

overrated.

(3) A certain famous person has just died.

(4) I opened a newsmagazine this morning to read his obituary.

(5) Here is the very first sentence:

[He] remade the world as completely as any single human being ever has.
 
Over-rated means not as good as hoped. Over-hyped means other people have talked too much about it; it still may be excellent, people have just been immoderate in their chatter.
 
Overhype- verb |ˌōvərˈhīp| [ trans. ]
make exaggerated claims about (a product, idea, or event); publicize or promote excessively. Example: it would appear that the organizers overhyped the crowd size.

noun |ˈōvərˌhīp|
excessive publicity or promotion. Example: were the media more rational about it, the unmistakable taste of overhype would not be so strong.

Overrate |ˌōvərˈrāt| verb [ trans. ] [often as adj. ] ( overrated)
have a higher opinion of (someone or something) than is deserved. Example: dismissing the work as pompous and overrated.
 
* The Shadow’s original question was:

Given the following context, what is the difference between overhyped and overrated?
“Swine flu was overhyped by the media and swine flu was overrated by the media.”
Fivejedjon offered an excellent explanation in clear and concise terms and I simply copied and pasted the definitions of both words from the Oxford Dictionary of the English Language.
In my opinion, that just about covers it.

Using unflattering comments on the death of a man to define two somewhat pejorative terms makes me uncomfortable. Again, this is my opinion.
John
 
*

Using unflattering comments on the death of a man to define two somewhat pejorative terms makes me uncomfortable. Again, this is my opinion.
John


I have taken into consideration your discomfort and deleted my post.
 
I simply copied and pasted the definitions of both words from the Oxford Dictionary of the English Language.
And they were useful.

If you quote directly, please name your source with the quotation. Thank you.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ask a Teacher

If you have a question about the English language and would like to ask one of our many English teachers and language experts, please click the button below to let us know:

(Requires Registration)
Back
Top