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
Tony SwanScads of fibs, exaggerations and misleading statements have been swept up in the dragnet …—James Poniewozik
James PoniewozikSynonyms
Examples of exaggeration in a Sentence
their exaggeration was such that a rainstorm became a hurricane
Recent Examples on the Web
One candidate for Seat 5, Jason R. Aula, responded to The Times with a list of false statements, conspiracy theories and exaggerations on issues unrelated to the district, including that targeting cannibalism in Los Angeles would be one of his priorities.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
Mass of Contradictions Judith Thurman’s article about my aunt, Simone Weil, repeats half-truths, exaggerations, and fantasies that have circulated for decades (Books, September 9th).
—The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
Further Reading Spiral shark intestines work like Nikola Tesla’s water valve, study finds
Tesla claimed that water would flow through his valve 200 times slower in one direction than another, which may have been an exaggeration.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Sep. 2024
There may have been a time this kind of behavior could be dismissed as ordinary political rhetoric, which most Americans expect will contain exaggerations and oversimplifications.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 14 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for exaggeration 
Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
Mass of Contradictions Judith Thurman’s article about my aunt, Simone Weil, repeats half-truths, exaggerations, and fantasies that have circulated for decades (Books, September 9th).
—The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
Further Reading Spiral shark intestines work like Nikola Tesla’s water valve, study finds
Tesla claimed that water would flow through his valve 200 times slower in one direction than another, which may have been an exaggeration.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Sep. 2024
There may have been a time this kind of behavior could be dismissed as ordinary political rhetoric, which most Americans expect will contain exaggerations and oversimplifications.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 14 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for exaggeration
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exaggeration.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near exaggeration
Cite this Entry
“Exaggeration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exaggeration. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.
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