exaggerated

adjective

ex·​ag·​ger·​at·​ed ig-ˈza-jə-ˌrā-təd 

1

: excessively or inappropriately heightened, inflated, or overstated

exaggerated fears

a wildly exaggerated story

As students go from one disconnected course to the next, they tend to form a highly exaggerated idea of the differences between teachers and subjects.

—Gerald Graff

2

: enlarged or increased beyond the normal : greater than normal

… many people have an unusual or exaggerated response to a drug, but they are not necessarily allergic to the drug.

—Paul D. Buisseret

exaggeratedly adverb

… my own view of the art of architecture—a view that many people (including many architects) would perhaps consider an exaggeratedly lofty one.

—Brendan Gill

Koenig's movements were brisk, exaggeratedly optimistic.

—Nick Paumgarten

exaggeratedness noun

… we often do not respond to exaggeration by simply pointing out its exaggeratedness …

—Julie Kuhlken

Synonyms of exaggerated

• inflated

Examples of exaggerated in a Sentence

loves the exaggerated emotions that are part and parcel of grand opera

Recent Examples on the Web

He is accompanied by the Cubans Piñera and Rodríguez Tomeu, who read fragments of poems in a flowery, exaggerated way. —Literary Hub, 11 May 2026

And Cannes was an exaggerated version. —Derek Lawrence, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026

The movie-trailer framing and Padilla’s exaggerated reactions and line readings kept the sketch in the realm of comedy. —Erik Adams, The Atlantic, 10 May 2026

Stassie Karanikolaou’s decision to reverse her Brazilian butt lift is fueling new questions about whether the era of exaggerated curves is coming to an end. —Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of exaggerate

First Known Use

circa 1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for exaggerated

• abbreviated
• accelerated
• accentuated
• accommodated
• acculturated
• accumulated
• acidulated
• adjudicated
• administrated
• adulterated
• affiliated
• agglomerated