EXAGGERATED Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

exaggerated 1 of 2

adjective

ig-ˈza-jə-ˌrā-təd

Definition of exaggerated

as in inflated

extended beyond normal or realistic bounds loves the exaggerated emotions that are part and parcel of grand opera

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

exaggerated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of exaggerate

as in padded

to add to the interest of by including made-up details the American colonist John Smith is believed by many historians to have exaggerated his adventures

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in overstated

to describe or express in too strong terms it would be impossible to exaggerate the importance of this entrance exam

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of exaggerated

Adjective

The team’s 23-year-old in-house expert in men’s tailoring, Mario Vidal, also cut Carlos’s jackets to be wide on the shoulders and tight at the waist, adding further drama with exaggerated lapels. — Elaina Patton, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026 In a series of TikTok videos made yesterday, North West debuted an exaggerated prosthetic chin and slick-black bob, tagging the Bad Girls star. — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026

Verb

Standard laboratory models greatly exaggerated the actual performance of liquid thermogalvanic cells. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026 As for the constant chatter about the unwelcome safety tech, Roma said the objections may be exaggerated. — Morgan Korn, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exaggerated

Recent Examples of Synonyms for exaggerated

Adjective

As part of the scheme, prosecutors allege, Heflin conspired with other companies and individuals to predetermine who would win certain business, at times submitting intentionally inflated bids to schools.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2026
As retailers roll out seasonal promotions across clothing, appliances and electronics, inflated reference prices and limited-time pressure can turn a modest discount into something that feels like a steal.

— Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of inflated

Verb

New York padded the lead when Winston plunged in from 1-yard out for a touchdown about 3 ½ minutes before halftime.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Delivery & Initial Setup The microwave arrived in a standard cardboard box, padded with some Styrofoam to fill out the interior gaps and keep the device secure.

— Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of padded

Verb

If these numbers are accurate — and the polls wildly overstated el Sayed’s margin in the Democratic primary — Stevens would need to trigger an avalanche of vote-switching in addition to late deciders overwhelmingly breaking for Rogers.

— W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
There’s a reason it’s all automated, though, even if earlier reports this season about the use of AI/ML were overstated.

— Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of overstated

Verb

My daughter happily colored images of the hotel’s then mascot, Buster the canine, while waiting for her avocado roll and edamame.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
There’s a woman’s smiling face on a wall in Cornelia, printed on aluminum, boldly colored enough to see from the amphitheater being built a block away in this northeast Georgia town.

— Tiffany Davis, AJC.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of colored

Verb

After the last percussive hit, a drum stretched and warped to sound a bit like a robot powering down, comes an ensemble of bell tones, rising like mist at dawn.

— Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 31 Oct. 2026
Without appropriate options, parents often must weigh leaving work early, sacrificing income, or piecing together care arrangements that leave the family and its finances stretched thin.

— Sharon Sewell-Fairman, New York Daily News, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of stretched

Verb

Election nonprofits have stepped up to try to fill the gap, and states, with CISA’s help, have enhanced their own cyber defenses.

— Jen Fifield, ProPublica, 2 Nov. 2026
But this isn't exactly what the surface of the planet would look like through our eyes; the image is color-enhanced.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of enhanced

Verb

Galland embellished his ghouls with new characteristics not found in the original Arabic, chiefly the macabre practice of digging up graves to feast on human flesh.

— Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026
George Lutz rejected the suggestion that the entire experience was fabricated and continued to maintain that his family had encountered unexplained phenomena in the house, although some details of the story were embellished over time.

— Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of embellished

Browse Nearby Words

exaggerate

exaggerated

exaggerates

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Exaggerated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exaggerated. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of exaggerated

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

quondam

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes