as in to exaggerate
disapproving
to describe or show something in a way that makes it seem more shocking than it really is
Journalists should report the news accurately without trying to sensationalize it.
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Recent Examples of sensationalize
Taxpayers should be cautious of advisors who sensationalize denaturalization risks to generate fees.
—
Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Inspired by the open, flat expanse of the American prairie, Wright’s designs sensationalized both the interior and home design worlds.
—AFAR Media, 14 July 2025
Media personalities, from journalists to hack YouTubers, will find a way to sensationalize trauma, while wannabe comedians will always find something funny.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 3 July 2025
In a move that sensationalized their French hosts, wineries from Napa County were best rated in both categories in what became known as the Judgment of Paris.
—Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensationalize
Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Inspired by the open, flat expanse of the American prairie, Wright’s designs sensationalized both the interior and home design worlds.
—AFAR Media, 14 July 2025
Media personalities, from journalists to hack YouTubers, will find a way to sensationalize trauma, while wannabe comedians will always find something funny.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 3 July 2025
In a move that sensationalized their French hosts, wineries from Napa County were best rated in both categories in what became known as the Judgment of Paris.
—Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensationalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sensationalize
exaggerate
Verb
-
Giménez was exaggerating, but not by much.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Our foul, flatulent father-figure may exaggerate a bit when belittling his enemies (and friends, for that matter), but cloaked under his aura of filth — like an adult Pig-Pen’s toxic dust cloud — rests a core truth.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sensationalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sensationalize. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
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