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
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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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of exaggerate
Public health discussions often emphasize relative risks, which can exaggerate harm.
—
Robert M. Kaplan, STAT, 1 Jan. 2026
Their leaders and citizens imagine or exaggerate threats.
—Caleb Pomeroy, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2025
On top of that, the lineup projects to be too left-handed at the moment, which would be further exaggerated by adding Bellinger back into the fold.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Trump has exaggerated the 2022 inflation crisis as the worst in US history.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exaggerate
Robert M. Kaplan, STAT, 1 Jan. 2026
Their leaders and citizens imagine or exaggerate threats.
—Caleb Pomeroy, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2025
On top of that, the lineup projects to be too left-handed at the moment, which would be further exaggerated by adding Bellinger back into the fold.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Trump has exaggerated the 2022 inflation crisis as the worst in US history.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exaggerate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exaggerate
Verb
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Thermal and pressure bonding of a capping layer The research team showed that thermal and pressure bonding of a capping layer to a perovskite surface suppresses defect initiation from iodide loss and enhances long-term stability.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
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The mainframe cycle is enhancing infrastructure.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The depth Helenius and Ostlund have given the forward group is tough to overstate.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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Some analysts suggest more than half of all iPhones, but that is overstated.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trump should ask himself whether stirring a hornet’s nest serves any purpose other than pointlessly alienating a benevolent neighbor that is beginning to pad its insurance policy by reaching out to non-hemispheric powers.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Also, lawmakers repeatedly castigated the insurance executives for trying to pad their profits by denying or delaying approval of the care doctors say their patients need.—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But don't overdo it, as jade plants can get sunburn from too-harsh direct sun.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
29 Jan. 2026
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The shadow is overdoing it, overpromising, or feeling crushed if the applause doesn’t come fast enough.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The filthy talk of collusion, of course hyperbolized by Unsocial Media, again is crawling out of the swamp.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2023
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Yet the internet — the same force that has increased awareness of social-justice movements — has hyperbolized all entreaties to our fragmented attention spans.—
Lauren Oyler,
New York Times,
8 May 2018
Verb
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Honda has also generated a lot of buzz with its new CB1000F homage (below) to the beloved CB750F from the 1980s, and many of Harley-Davidson’s models carry on the looks and stance of models stretching back to the 1950s.—
William Roberson,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Frigid Arctic air moves back in There’s also a chance for light snow in a narrow band stretching from eastern Nebraska through southwest Iowa and possibly into northern Missouri.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Their hair was black, said Cook, while González saw hair that was brown and loose, black, blond, or cinnamon-colored.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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Familiar streets and relationships sit behind the work, even when the backgrounds are reduced to color.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors are now looking at a financial accounts for the Walshe family, including an account overdrawn by about $800.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
2 Dec. 2025
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If the account is overdrawn for a day or so, the brain can adjust quickly.—
Andrew Mawson,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exaggerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exaggerate. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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