exaggerate

verb

ex·​ag·​ger·​ate ig-ˈza-jə-ˌrāt How to pronounce exaggerate (audio)
exaggerated; exaggerating

transitive verb

1
: to enlarge beyond bounds or the truth : overstate
a friend exaggerates a man's virtuesJoseph Addison
2
: to enlarge or increase especially beyond the normal : overemphasize

intransitive verb

: to make an overstatement
exaggerative
ig-ˈza-jə-ˌrā-tiv How to pronounce exaggerate (audio)
-ˈzaj-rə-tiv
-ˈza-jə-rə-tiv
adjective
exaggerator noun
exaggeratory adjective

Examples of exaggerate in a Sentence

The book exaggerates the difficulties he faced in starting his career. It's impossible to exaggerate the importance of this discovery. He tends to exaggerate when talking about his accomplishments. He exaggerated his movements so we could see them more clearly.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In early 2025, the stock fell nearly 57% from February to April in the wake of a short-seller report that alleged the company had exaggerated its e-commerce performance and breached service terms. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 This performative solidarity was not appreciated by Saudi commentators who argued Egypt exaggerated the seriousness of Netanyahu's comments in a bid to drag Saudi Arabia in a confrontation with the Israelis for political reasons. Khaled Hassan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 Some critics have said that Costa exaggerates Malafaia’s influence. Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025 The sympathetic framing, however, doesn’t really exaggerate Scorsese’s place in our culture. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exaggerate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin exaggerātus, past participle of exaggerāre "to heap up, construct by piling up, increase in significance," from ex- ex- entry 1 + aggerāre "to heap up over, form into a heap," verbal derivative of agger "rubble, earthwork, rampart, dam," noun derivative of aggerere "to bring, carry (to or up), push close up (against)," from ag- ag- + gerere "to carry, bring" — more at jest entry 1

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of exaggerate was in 1613

Cite this Entry

“Exaggerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exaggerate. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

exaggerate

verb
ex·​ag·​ger·​ate ig-ˈzaj-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce exaggerate (audio)
exaggerated; exaggerating
: to enlarge a fact or statement beyond what is actual or true
exaggeratedly
-ˌrāt-əd-lē
adverb
exaggeratedness
-nəs
noun
exaggeration noun
exaggerator noun
Etymology

from Latin exaggeratus "exaggerate," from exaggerare, literally, "to heap up"

More from Merriam-Webster on exaggerate

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