Overrated means something gets more praise, attention, or credit than it truly deserves. When people say a movie is overrated, they think everyone's making too big a deal about it compared to how good it actually is. When a restaurant is overrated, the food doesn't live up to all the hype and excitement.

Something overrated might be good, just not as amazing as everyone claims. A video game could be fun but overrated if people act like it's the greatest game ever made when it's really just okay. A famous athlete might be talented but overrated if fans treat them like a superstar when other players are actually better.

People's opinions about what's overrated often differ wildly. You might think a popular book series is overrated while your best friend thinks it's perfect. That's because “overrated” expresses a personal judgment about whether something lives up to its reputation.

The opposite is underrated, which means something deserves more recognition than it gets. A student might feel their favorite band is underrated because hardly anyone knows about them, even though the band is incredibly talented.