exaggerate

verb

ex·​ag·​ger·​ate ig-ˈza-jə-ˌrāt 

exaggerated; exaggerating

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

exaggerative

ig-ˈza-jə-ˌrā-tiv 

-ˈzaj-rə-tiv

-ˈza-jə-rə-tiv

adjective

exaggerator

ig-ˈza-jə-ˌrā-tər 

noun

exaggeratory

ig-ˈzaj-rə-ˌtȯr-ē 

-ˈza-jə-

adjective

Synonyms

• enhance
• pad
• hyperbolize
• color
• embellish
• expand
• magnify
• embroider
• stretch
• elaborate (on)
• emphasize

Examples of exaggerate in a Sentence

The book exaggerates the difficulties he faced in starting his career.

It's impossible to exaggerate the importance of this discovery.

He tends to exaggerate when talking about his accomplishments.

He exaggerated his movements so we could see them more clearly.

Recent Examples on the Web

Tainy’s Prometheus — is portrayed by Feid, dressed in an oversized leather coat and lit in a manner that exaggerates his grills in an eerie way. —Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025

In the series, Gacy enjoyed talking about many of his accomplishments and exaggerating some of his stories. —Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025

Blumenthal apologized for exaggerating his military record in 2010 after an investigation by the New York Times. —Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025

Critics have also said that political portrayals of Antifa as a unified or centrally directed domestic terror group exaggerate its organization and influence. —Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin exaggerātus, past participle of exaggerāre "to heap up, construct by piling up, increase in significance," from ex- ex- entry 1 + aggerāre "to heap up over, form into a heap," verbal derivative of agger "rubble, earthwork, rampart, dam," noun derivative of aggerere "to bring, carry (to or up), push close up (against)," from ag- ag- + gerere "to carry, bring" — more at jest entry 1

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for exaggerate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

exaggerate

verb

ex·​ag·​ger·​ate ig-ˈzaj-ə-ˌrāt 

exaggerated; exaggerating

: to enlarge a fact or statement beyond what is actual or true

exaggeratedly

-ˌrāt-əd-lē

adverb

exaggeratedness

-nəs

noun

exaggeration

-ˌzaj-ə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

exaggerator

-ˈzaj-ə-ˌrāt-ər 

noun

Etymology

from Latin exaggeratus "exaggerate," from exaggerare, literally, "to heap up"