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

• bloated
• hyperbolized
• inflated
• outsize
• outsized
• overblown
• overdrawn
• overweening

Examples of exaggerated in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

On this song in particular, there’s both this seductive whisper and this exaggerated, bimbo breathiness. —Reanna Cruz, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025

Sherry Coleman Collins, a food allergy dietitian and expert from the Atlanta metropolitan area, suggested the cautions about seed oils may be exaggerated, but did recommend choosing wisely. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025

However, the trackways studied were made in varying degrees of soft mud, which would have fundamentally impacted locomotion and stretched and distorted footprints, leading to exaggerated stride lengths. —New Atlas, 24 June 2025

Honoring her beauty business’ fourth annual Mental Health Summit, the makeup mogul wore light blue, wide-legged denim pants with a flare silhouette and a white blazer with exaggerated shoulder accents. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 June 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