EXAGGERATING Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

exaggerating

verb

present participle of exaggerate

as in padding

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

as in overstating

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 exaggerating Jan Paul van Hecke of the Netherlands has been involved in two scraps already, the latest when he was hit while going for a header and crumbled, perhaps exaggerating a tad, after Morocco's Azzedine Ounahi challenged the header, as well. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026 The four-time Olympian was not exaggerating. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 Goldman says Lander is exaggerating the gulf between them. — Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026 Some may suspect the president is exaggerating. — Drew Endy, Washington Post, 4 June 2026 The companies, meanwhile, say opportunistic lawyers and public adjusters are playing to fears and driving up costs for everyone by exaggerating the risks and damage. — Jason Henry, Daily News, 31 May 2026 Apple just settled a class-action lawsuit for exaggerating the AI capabilities of its newest iPhones. — Vitaliy Katsenelson, Fortune, 14 May 2026 The league decided to introduce postgame flop fines in the 2012-13 season where plays were reviewed after games and those individuals were fined for exaggerating contact. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026 Flopping is exaggerating contact that’s already there. — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 4 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for exaggerating

Verb

Summer footwear is everything, whether you’re headed to the pool, running errands, or just padding around the house.

— Sarah Scott, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2026
The professors were bitter and angry—angry at a university, a state, and a country where their fields of study were regarded as obsolete, useful only for padding the schedules of STEM students or as a backstop for STEM burnouts.

— Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

Definition of padding

Verb

These advocates accuse law enforcement and politicians of overstating the human trafficking problem on Figueroa in order to justify more police actions and the passage of harsher laws.

— Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Naming the stage clearly (awareness, exploration, active piloting, scaling) prevents organizations from overstating progress and misallocating resources.

— Penta Rao Marapatla, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

Definition of overstating

Verb

Moreover, the shock of higher prices is still fresh in people's minds and may be coloring consumers' purchasing decisions, despite signs that prices should retreat further.

— Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 5 July 2026
Pink to purple blooms open over a long season, coloring the garden from late spring through fall to the delight of butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.

— Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 July 2026

Definition of coloring

Verb

Have fun walking up and running down the dunes with your pup, but be mindful of the heat and elevation to avoid overdoing it.

— Rebecca R. Norris, USA Today, 29 June 2026
These thoughtful investments during Amazon Prime Day will spread your dollar further, so take advantage of the deals below without overdoing it.

— Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2026

Definition of overdoing

Verb

This includes improving roads, expanding transit options, enhancing pedestrian and bicycle safety, and creating more connectivity between neighborhoods, employment centers, and communities.

— Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2026
As a result, financial institutions and their technology partners are preparing now by building more flexible compliance programs, enhancing underwriting capabilities, and developing products that create deeper customer relationships.

— Peter Su, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of enhancing

Verb

The order covers the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, stretching over Palmyra and Johnston atolls and Kingman Reef, among others.

— Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
The Gobi Desert is a vast, cold semi-arid and arid expanse stretching across 500,000 square miles of Mongolia and northern China.

— Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of stretching

Verb

The 585-acre neighborhood contains 5 million square feet of office space, including 250,000 square feet of medical offices where John Muir Health has been expanding.

— George Avalos, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
The mission won't just hunt for aliens, but rather explore these habitable planets and their atmospheres, expanding our understanding of other worlds while also being used for a variety of astronomical purposes.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 6 July 2026

Definition of expanding

Browse Nearby Words

exaggerates

exaggerating

exaggeration

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Exaggerating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exaggerating. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of exaggerating

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on exaggerating

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

xeric

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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

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

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes