What does overprizing mean?
Overprizing means assigning excessive value, importance, or esteem to something. A person who overprizes a person, object, idea, or achievement treats it as more valuable or significant than it really is, often because of prestige, novelty, popularity, or personal attachment. The word is more critical than complimentary: unlike “prize,” which can express sincere admiration, “overprize” implies that the judgement has gone too far. It is usually used with a direct object, as in “overprize talent,” and can describe the conduct of collectors, institutions, critics, or individuals. The expression may be encountered in formal discussion, literary criticism, and commentary about markets, education, culture, and personal relationships. It is less common in everyday speech than synonyms such as “overvalue” or “overrate.” Although relatively uncommon, overprizing usefully identifies a specific kind of excessive valuation in which admiration or appreciation becomes disproportionate.
verbTo prize or value something excessively; to assign it greater worth or importance than it deserves.
- To regard, rate, or value something more highly than it deserves.
"The committee overprized novelty and overlooked the team's proven experience."
"Collectors can overprize an early printing simply because it has a celebrated provenance."
"By overprizing individual achievements, the school neglected the broader development of its pupils."
Sometimes excess is not about wanting more, but assigning too much value to what you already have.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does overprizing come from?
The word combines the prefix over-, meaning “too much” or “excessively,” with prize, meaning “to value highly.” The verb prize derives from Old French prisier, “to value,” which comes from Latin pretium, meaning “price” or “value.” The prefixed form developed as a verb of excessive valuation; close relatives include the base verb prize and forms such as priser and pricing.
Related word forms
How overprizing is actually used
This is a relatively uncommon and formal verb. It is normally transitive and carries a critical implication: the excessive valuation is mistaken or disproportionate rather than simply enthusiastic.
Easily confused with overprizing
Overprizing means placing excessive value on something, whereas overpricing means charging more for it than its market value or agreed price.