exaggerated

1 of 2

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

exaggerated

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of exaggerate

Synonyms of exaggerated

Adjective

• inflated

Examples of exaggerated in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Without a doubt, worries about the Texans’ D are exaggerated. — Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026

Fall 2026 runway footwear has been getting longer and sharper, with Celine, Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent and Calvin Klein among the labels pushing pumps and boots into exaggerated points. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026

Her exaggerated stomps made the coat flow in almost hypnotic rhythm. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026

Barca’s debt figure is often exaggerated in some circles, with the club’s total liabilities lumped together in a manner not seen elsewhere. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of exaggerate

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for exaggerated

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