1
as in enhances
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 overstates
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 exaggerates
Dehydration exaggerates creases and makes skin look less supple.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
Dehydration exaggerates creases and gives skin a texture that emphasizes lines.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
This percentage is credible for new sales, but the talking point exaggerates the overall share of housing in investors’ hands and who owns them.
—Chris Doody, Houston Chronicle, 9 Mar. 2026
The same prime minister who exaggerates his power is also fine with being portrayed as the patsy of more influential actors.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 10 Nov. 2025
Tainy’s Prometheus — is portrayed by Feid, dressed in an oversized leather coat and lit in a manner that exaggerates his grills in an eerie way.
—Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Whether or not The Bitch of Buchenwald did what is reenacted on the show isn’t relevant, because her activities are placed in the context of a comic book that exaggerates history to make a point — just like Monster does.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025
Some critics have said that Costa exaggerates Malafaia’s influence.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
The fact that the company exaggerates the job numbers, as well as the true number of states where the plane produces a significant number of jobs does not alter the fact that economic arguments carry a lot of weight in Congressional decisions on weapons procurement.
—William Hartung, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
Dehydration exaggerates creases and gives skin a texture that emphasizes lines.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
This percentage is credible for new sales, but the talking point exaggerates the overall share of housing in investors’ hands and who owns them.
—Chris Doody, Houston Chronicle, 9 Mar. 2026
The same prime minister who exaggerates his power is also fine with being portrayed as the patsy of more influential actors.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 10 Nov. 2025
Tainy’s Prometheus — is portrayed by Feid, dressed in an oversized leather coat and lit in a manner that exaggerates his grills in an eerie way.
—Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Whether or not The Bitch of Buchenwald did what is reenacted on the show isn’t relevant, because her activities are placed in the context of a comic book that exaggerates history to make a point — just like Monster does.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025
Some critics have said that Costa exaggerates Malafaia’s influence.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
The fact that the company exaggerates the job numbers, as well as the true number of states where the plane produces a significant number of jobs does not alter the fact that economic arguments carry a lot of weight in Congressional decisions on weapons procurement.
—William Hartung, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exaggerates
Verb
-
Infield surfaces have a top dressing that enhances playability and drainage.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Laura Geller Champagne Spackle Skin-Perfecting Primer The Laura Geller Spackle Primer is a lightweight, skin-plumping makeup base that enhances and prolongs foundation wear.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
22 May 2026
Verb
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His reading dramatically overstates what the court actually did.—
Kris Fair,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
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The algorithm, and the economy that supports it, first escalates speech that overstates the emotions that underlie it.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Malek colors him in with shades of anger, tenderness, psychosis, and the sheer pesky individuality of Jimmy.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 May 2026
-
Talk to me a little bit about how Santos’ own experience with addiction and self-harm colors her relationship with Langdon.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Alexander’s staging occasionally overdoes the comic exuberance.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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But Maura never overdoes the feisty granny bit.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The film expands Haig’s play and includes additional characters and sequences, including the actual D-day invasion.—
Emily Zemler,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
-
And yet as the series expands from and twists around its simple horror concept (a wedding at the groom-to-be’s family house in the woods is fated for a titular dark catastrophe), Morrone’s performance as Rachel is able to shoulder the weight of quite a bit of backstory and a complicated endgame.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Adding the killer’s voice just pads an already too-long book.—
Maren Longbella,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Not to say there aren’t some clunkers, most notably a jokey take-me-out-to-the-ballgame baseball number that pads the second act, but the Flaherty-Ahrens score was and is Ragtime‘s signature achievement.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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It’s also been cited as what’s wrong with basketball, as he’s been labeled a player who embellishes contact, resulting in opportunities at the free-throw line.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
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The work embellishes the landscape with a new pond set in a faux archaeological site, out of which rise a series of clear columns housing soil ecosystems extracted from the grounds.—
Tina Rivers Ryan,
Artforum,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Although the season stretches year-round (for some), most visitors find that late summer is when the water is warm enough to comfortably get into the water.—
Kaitlyn McInnis,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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The Giens Peninsula stretches below the old town into the Mediterranean within the Port-Cros National Park and is one of the most rewarding places to spend a day on the entire Var coast.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exaggerates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exaggerates. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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