exaggerate

[ig-zaj-uh-reyt] / ɪgˈzædʒ əˌreɪt /

VERB

overstate, embellish

Synonyms

STRONGEST

amplify distort emphasize fabricate falsify heighten inflate magnify misrepresent overdo overdraw overemphasize overestimate

STRONG

boast boost brag caricature color corrupt embroider enlarge exalt expand fudge hike hyperbolize intensify lie misquote pad puff pyramid romance romanticize scam stretch up

WEAK

blow out of proportion build up cook up go to extremes lay it on thick loud talk make too much of misreport pretty up put on

Antonyms

STRONGEST

compress contract decrease ignore lessen play down

STRONG

abridge be modest deprecate lower reduce shrink

WEAK

depreciate minimize understate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There is no way to exaggerate the danger of this moment.

From Salon • Jan. 18, 2026

“Thin conditions exaggerate moves,” he said — meaning any rally driven by headlines, rather than oil flows, may be something to avoid chasing.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 16, 2026

Flat Mercator-projection maps, like the one Lauder showed Trump, exaggerate the size of landmasses near the Earth’s north and south poles.

From Slate • Jan. 8, 2026

It would be difficult to exaggerate Europe’s outrage at the proposal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

It was indeed in the Spanish interest to exaggerate the extent of human sacrifice, because ending what Cortes called this “most horrid and abominable custom” became a post hoc rationale for conquest.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Vocabulary lists containing exaggerate

Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items

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List 4

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