overexposure

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The state of being exposed to too much of something, especially light, risk, or media attention.

   Grammar: Uncountable; no plural. Often followed by 'to'.

   Patterns

   • overexposure to something
   • overexposure of someone

   Overexposure to the sun can cause skin damage.

   The celebrity complained about overexposure in the media.

   Investors worried about overexposure to risky loans.

2. 2noununcountabletechnical

   In photography, the condition of a film or digital image receiving too much light, making it too bright.

   Grammar: Used in technical contexts; often with 'of' or 'in'.

   Patterns

   • overexposure of the film
   • overexposure in a photograph

   The overexposure of the film ruined the shot.

   Digital cameras can often correct overexposure automatically.

   He adjusted the settings to avoid overexposure in bright sunlight.

Common combinations

overexposure to the sun

Overexposure to the sun increases the risk of skin cancer.

media overexposure

The politician suffered from media overexposure during the campaign.

risk overexposure

The bank reduced its risk overexposure by selling some assets.

avoid overexposure

Wear a hat to avoid overexposure to harmful rays.

Synonyms and how they differ

excess

Excess is a general term for too much of anything; overexposure specifically implies being subjected to something harmful or intense.

Opposites

Word family

overexpose verb

To expose to too much of something, especially light or publicity.

overexposed adjective

Describing something that has been exposed too much, e.g., a photo that is too bright.

Commonly confused: overexposure or underexposure?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “overexposure”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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