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

The more exaggerated interpretations, with oversized collars that swallow the chin or heavy embellishment, are the ones most at risk of looking dated once the search curve bends. — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026

Digger is, first and foremost, a parable—without spoiling the plot, its events are intentionally exaggerated to make a point about humans and climate change. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026

This is about pretty common experiences, or at least exaggerated versions of experiences that have actually happened to you. — Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026

October will mark the one-year anniversary of the debut for the Jellyfish, which is an exaggerated take on the Adistar Cushion 3 runner from 2025. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 30 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