exaggerate

ex·ag·ger·ate

verb \ig-ˈza-jə-ˌrāt\

ex·ag·ger·at·edex·ag·ger·at·ing

Definition of EXAGGERATE

transitive verb

1

: to enlarge beyond bounds or the truth : overstate <a friend exaggerates a man's virtues — Joseph Addison>

2

: to enlarge or increase especially beyond the normal : overemphasize

intransitive verb

: to make an overstatement

— ex·ag·ger·at·ed·ly adverb

— ex·ag·ger·at·ed·ness noun

— ex·ag·ger·a·tion \-ˌza-jə-ˈrā-shən\ noun

— ex·ag·ger·a·tive \-ˈza-jə-ˌrā-tiv, -ˈzaj-rə-, -ˈza-jə-\ adjective

— ex·ag·ger·a·tor \-ˈza-jə-ˌrā-tər\ noun

— ex·ag·ger·a·to·ry \-ˈzaj-rə-ˌtȯr-ē, -ˈza-jə-\ adjective

Examples of EXAGGERATE

1. The book exaggerates the difficulties he faced in starting his career.
2. It's impossible to exaggerate the importance of this discovery.
3. He tends to exaggerate when talking about his accomplishments.
4. He exaggerated his movements so we could see them more clearly.

Origin of EXAGGERATE

Latin exaggeratus, past participle of exaggerare, literally, to heap up, from ex- + agger heap, from aggerere to carry toward, from ad- + gerere to carry

First Known Use: 1613

Related to EXAGGERATE

Synonyms

color, elaborate (on), embellish, embroider, hyperbolize, magnify, pad, stretch

Antonyms

understate

Related Words

dress up, gussy up; amplify, enhance, enlarge (on or upon), expand, flesh (out); fudge, hedge; overdo, overdraw, overemphasize, overplay, overstate; emphasize, play up, stress; caricature; satirize

Near Antonyms

belittle, minimize, play down, understate

Rhymes with EXAGGERATE

abbreviate, abominate, accelerate, accentuate, accommodate, acculturate, accumulate, adjudicate, adulterate, affiliate, agglomerate, alienate, alleviate, alliterate, amalgamate, ameliorate, amyl nitrate, annihilate, annunciate, anticipate, apostolate, appreciate, appropriate, approximate, arpeggiate, articulate, asphyxiate, assassinate, asseverate, assimilate, associate, at any rate, attenuate, authenticate, barbiturate, bicarbonate, calumniate, capacitate, capitulate, catholicate, certificate, coagulate, coelenterate, collaborate, commemorate, commiserate, communicate, compassionate, concatenate, conciliate, confabulate, confederate, conglomerate, congratulate, consolidate, contaminate, cooperate, coordinate, corroborate, deactivate, debilitate, decapitate, decelerate, decerebrate, deconcentrate, deconsecrate, decorticate, decrepitate, de-escalate, defibrinate, defoliate, degenerate, deliberate, delineate, demodulate, denominate, depopulate, depreciate, deracinate, deregulate, desegregate, desiderate, detoxicate, devaluate, diaconate, dilapidate, discriminate, disintegrate, disseminate, dissimulate, dissociate, domesticate, effectuate, ejaculate, elaborate, electroplate, eliminate, elucidate, emaciate, emancipate, emasculate, encapsulate, enumerate, enunciate, episcopate, equivocate, eradicate, etiolate, evacuate, evaluate, evaporate, eventuate, eviscerate, exacerbate, exasperate, excited state, excogitate, excoriate, exfoliate, exhilarate, exonerate, expatiate, expatriate, expectorate, expostulate, expropriate, extenuate, exterminate, extrapolate, facilitate, felicitate, fish or cut bait, garrison state, gesticulate, habilitate, habituate, hallucinate, humiliate, hydrogenate, hypothecate, illuminate, impersonate, inactivate, inaugurate, incarcerate, incinerate, incorporate, incriminate, indoctrinate, inebriate, infatuate, infuriate, ingratiate, ingurgitate, initiate, inoculate, inseminate, insinuate, instantiate, intercalate, interpolate, interrelate, interrogate, intimidate, intoxicate, invalidate, investigate, invigorate, irradiate, Italianate, Korea Strait, lanceolate, legitimate, luxuriate, mandarinate, manipulate, matriarchate, matriculate, Merthiolate, necessitate, negotiate, noncandidate, obliterate, officiate, Orange Free State, orientate, originate, oxygenate, participate, particulate, patriarchate, patriciate, perambulate, peregrinate, perpetuate, pontificate, precipitate, predestinate, predominate, prefabricate, premeditate, preponderate, prevaricate, procrastinate, prognosticate, proliferate, propitiate, proportionate, quadruplicate, quintuplicate, reciprocate, recriminate, recuperate, redecorate, reduplicate, reeducate, refrigerate, regenerate, regurgitate, reincarnate, reintegrate, reiterate, rejuvenate, remunerate, repatriate, repudiate, resuscitate, retaliate, reticulate, revaluate, reverberate, scholasticate, second estate, self-flagellate, self-immolate, self-pollinate, seventy-eight, sextuplicate, Singapore Strait, sophisticate, subordinate, substantiate, syllabicate, tergiversate, transliterate, triangulate, vanity plate, variegate, vaticinate, vituperate, vociferate