exaggeration
noun
ex·ag·ger·a·tion
ig-ˌza-jə-ˈrā-shən 
plural exaggerations
: an act or instance of exaggerating something : overstatement of the truth
She told us what happened without exaggeration.
: a statement that exaggerates something
a report filled with exaggerations and outright lies
But it's no exaggeration to say that this car has been one of the major linchpins of the burgeoning Asian hot-rod phenomenon.—
Tony Swan
Tony SwanScads of fibs, exaggerations and misleading statements have been swept up in the dragnet …—James Poniewozik
James PoniewozikExamples of exaggeration in a Sentence
their exaggeration was such that a rainstorm became a hurricane
Recent Examples on the Web
Free of the trappings and exaggerations of the 1980s, fashion had turned to celebrating clothes in their simplest, purest form, with invisible seams and clean lines, devoid of embellishments and in a strictly neutral, pattern-free palette.
—Valentina Bottoni, Vanity Fair, 13 Mar. 2026
Clearly that’s an exaggeration.
—Omar Kelly
march 13, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
Self-deception is at the heart of lying Aristotle says that truthfulness is the virtuous middle ground between exaggeration and understatement when communicating with others.
—Katherine Moses, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2026
The four first-round picks is an exaggeration, because Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois traded one (and a prospect) for each player, but the point is sound.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exaggeration
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Valentina Bottoni, Vanity Fair, 13 Mar. 2026
Clearly that’s an exaggeration.
—Omar Kelly
march 13, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
Self-deception is at the heart of lying Aristotle says that truthfulness is the virtuous middle ground between exaggeration and understatement when communicating with others.
—Katherine Moses, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2026
The four first-round picks is an exaggeration, because Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois traded one (and a prospect) for each player, but the point is sound.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exaggeration
Cite this Entry
“Exaggeration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exaggeration. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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