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

My main man Jawan — who has somehow transformed into a male juror version of Eliza Orlins with his constant exaggerated facial expressions and wild gesticulating — would have positively LOST HIS MIND! —Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Dec. 2025

But according to the most recent data from the BLS, the president's claims in some cases appeared to be exaggerated, false or unverifiable. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 18 Dec. 2025

The problem is real, although exaggerated. —Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

While suspicions around them acting as drone motherships are likely exaggerated, such vessels could pose a real problem for more realistic missions like mine laying. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Dec. 2025

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