1
as in to enhance
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overstate
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
as in inflated
extended beyond normal or realistic bounds
loves the exaggerated emotions that are part and parcel of grand opera
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of exaggerate
Devon Henderson, New York Times, 4 May 2026
By exaggerating the patients’ health problems, insurers collect larger payments from government without providing additional healthcare.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 May 2026
In the past decade, the exaggerated plots and ridiculous characters on fictional shows like House of Cards, Veep and The Boys seem to predict what real-life politicians do months after the episodes are written.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2026
Max Tani, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026
There are also credible questions over whether Mills exaggerated his military record during his first campaign.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exaggerate
Verb
Flopping is exaggerating contact that’s already there.
—Devon Henderson, New York Times, 4 May 2026
By exaggerating the patients’ health problems, insurers collect larger payments from government without providing additional healthcare.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Second, concerns about visual impacts from State Road A1A are greatly exaggerated.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 May 2026
In the past decade, the exaggerated plots and ridiculous characters on fictional shows like House of Cards, Veep and The Boys seem to predict what real-life politicians do months after the episodes are written.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2026
Verb
The team, according to records shared with Semafor by Moore’s office, is digging into whether Moore had exaggerated his military record, as well as his high school and collegiate basketball tenure.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026
There are also credible questions over whether Mills exaggerated his military record during his first campaign.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exaggerate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exaggerate
Verb
-
Both forwards scored Wednesday, and both enhanced the opportunities of several teammates.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
The dermatology and wellness center blends functional and aesthetic medicine to offer treatments designed to enhance natural features rather than dramatically alter them.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
But claims that Los Angeles — alongside New York — was the safest big city are generally considered overstated rather than conclusively proven.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
Trump account promoters have massively overstated the potential wealth gains for ordinary Americans.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Some even require dedicated facilities, leading to inflated costs.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
-
The new movie, by contrast, is an inflated meditation on fiction and reality.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Barnes kicked off the scoring with an RBI double and sacrifice flies from Nawrocki and Dylan Duran padded the lead.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 May 2026
-
The storytelling, however, is padded and repetitive, meaning this 149-minute movie never quite takes escapist flight, while also remaining hard to take altogether seriously.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
It’s not overstated in this lineup.—
Sam McDowell
Updated May 19,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
-
Reviewing the loan agreement, the court found that SM Holdco was not a party to that agreement and Saadia Square had overstated its concern about the default.—
Jay Adkisson,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The storytelling, however, is padded and repetitive, meaning this 149-minute movie never quite takes escapist flight, while also remaining hard to take altogether seriously.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
This Mosis padded laptop sleeve, $22, comes with a separate zippered carrying case that can hold your charging cables and accessories, like USB flash drives or external hard drives.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Mulch can create a natural breeding ground for earwigs, which is beneficial, but don’t overdo it.—
Dan Simms,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
One caveat for those seeking to dive into pore care, Idriss warns to not overdo it.—
Diana Tsui,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The photonegative is then run through a contact printer, which projects light, colored by filters, through the negative and onto the positive film stock, creating a final release print.—
Will Croxton,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
-
Always choose the container with berries that are firm, vibrant, and evenly colored.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exaggerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exaggerate. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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