exaggeration

noun

ex·​ag·​ger·​a·​tion ig-ˌza-jə-ˈrā-shən 

plural exaggerations

: an act or instance of exaggerating something : overstatement of the truth

She told us what happened without exaggeration.

: a statement that exaggerates something

a report filled with exaggerations and outright lies

But it's no exaggeration to say that this car has been one of the major linchpins of the burgeoning Asian hot-rod phenomenon.

—Tony Swan

Scads of fibs, exaggerations and misleading statements have been swept up in the dragnet …

—James Poniewozik

Synonyms

• caricature
• hyperbole
• stretching
• enhancement
• overstatement
• coloring

Examples of exaggeration in a Sentence

their exaggeration was such that a rainstorm became a hurricane

Recent Examples on the Web

No exaggeration, this is one of the most thrillingly diverse and culturally vibrant capitals on Earth. —Emma John, AFAR Media, 24 June 2025

Studio Ghibli’s prestigious reputation consists of truths and exaggerations. —Ryan Gaur, IndieWire, 10 June 2025

There was never an order that, even by gross exaggeration, could be interpreted as permission to kill indiscriminately. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 6 June 2025

And since nothing is impossible for Rei Kawakubo, the mastermind behind Comme des Garçons, this statement shoe—inspired by the sneakers and all its exaggeration—is ideal for a diva who won't settle for just any pair of sneakers. —Arancha Gamo, Glamour, 1 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for exaggeration

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration