as in exaggerating
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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 sensationalizing
In addition to recentering the story, the new show shies away from violence on screen, so as to avoid sensationalizing Gacy.
—
Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
Notoriety trailed Woodhull through her life, but, rather than sensationalizing her scandals, Collinsworth highlights Woodhull’s flair for reinvention, and her drive to set the terms by which she would be remembered.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
Notoriety trailed Woodhull through her life, but, rather than sensationalizing her scandals, Collinsworth highlights Woodhull’s flair for reinvention, and her drive to set the terms by which she would be remembered.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sensationalizing
Verb
-
Analysts note that the Russia Defense ministry has a habit of exaggerating advances when the frontlines are scarcely changing.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Bosco’s attorneys argue Shaw was exaggerating the situation.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The child was never inside the wolf habitat at the ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, which is part of the Hersheypark theme park, and the officials characterized the injuries as minor without elaborating.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
That’s of greater importance than elaborating on the group’s disinvitation.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Still, overemphasizing national trend lines fails to acknowledge how new converts can change a community.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Still, experts warn that there is such a thing as overemphasizing the data and getting bogged down by less-than-optimal scores.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sensationalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sensationalizing. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
