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

Although never stated outright, Dee and Dennis’s exaggerated get-rich-quick plot smacks of risky financial endeavors, such as the rise of dystopian prediction markets. — Paula Mejía, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Davis’s defense has sought to separate him from the book’s contents, claiming that co-writer Yusuf Jah had exaggerated events and added false information in an attempt to sell copies. — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 16 Aug. 2026

Democratic lawmakers demand investigations and an oversight visit, alleging dangerous conditions and poor treatment aboard the Lincoln, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismisses the reports as exaggerated and misrepresented. — Konstantin Toropin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

The investigation determined the information provided was inaccurate or exaggerated and dismissed it in May, according to a letter the state Department of Education sent to the college. — Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 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