exaggerate

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/ɪɡˈzædʒəreɪt/
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An act of overstating the truth, or of making a feature or effect seem larger, stronger, or more noticeable than normal.
Practice using exaggerate in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • The low camera angle exaggerates his height.
  • Kids often exaggerate the size of the fish they caught.
  • Dark eyeliner can exaggerate the shape of the eyes.
  • Do not exaggerate the problem just to win support.
  • She exaggerates the story to make it funnier.

Similar words

magnify
amplify
overstate
magnify
overplay
heighten
accentuate
inflate
embellish
stretch

Meanings

Overstate the truth

verb
communication
neutral
To describe something as larger, more important, more extreme, or more dramatic than it really is.

Usage

Use exaggerate when a statement stretches the truth for emphasis, humor, persuasion, or drama.

Examples

  • She exaggerates the story to make it funnier.
  • The report exaggerated the risks involved.
  • He tends to exaggerate his achievements during interviews.
  • Kids often exaggerate the size of the fish they caught.
  • The comedian exaggerated the audience's reaction for comic effect.
  • Do not exaggerate the problem just to win support.

Common mistakes

Regular verb endings are dropped, or exaggerate is used for a simple increase with no overstatement.
IncorrectCorrect
He exaggerate the facts. He exaggerates the facts.
She exaggerates the story yesterday. She exaggerated the story yesterday.
They are exaggerate about the problem. They are exaggerating the problem.
The temperature will exaggerate to 30°C. The temperature will rise to 30°C.

Similar words

overstate
magnify
inflate
embellish
overplay
hyperbolize
stretch

Make seem larger or stronger

verb
appearance
neutral
To make a feature, shape, effect, or difference look larger, stronger, or more noticeable than normal.

Usage

Use exaggerate when something changes appearance or emphasis by making one feature stand out beyond its usual proportion.

Examples

  • The wide belt exaggerated the narrowness of the dress.
  • The low camera angle exaggerates his height.
  • Dark eyeliner can exaggerate the shape of the eyes.
  • The cartoonist exaggerated the mayor's smile.
  • The lighting exaggerated every line on the wall.

Common mistakes

A real physical enlargement is called exaggerate when enlarge, increase, or widen is more exact.
IncorrectCorrect
The builder exaggerated the room by two meters. The builder enlarged the room by two meters.
The medicine exaggerated his pupils. The medicine dilated his pupils.
The road exaggerated after the bridge. The road widened after the bridge.
The camera exaggerated in the dark. The camera made the shadows look stronger in the dark.

Similar words

accentuate
emphasize
magnify
heighten
amplify
overemphasize

Usage

Use exaggerate for overstatement and heightened appearance, but choose precise verbs like rise, enlarge, or widen for plain factual change.

Common mistakes

Exaggerate is used for ordinary increases such as the price exaggerated, where rose or increased is the accurate verb.

Etymology

From Latin exaggerāre, meaning to heap up, increase, or magnify, through its past participle exaggerātus.

FAQ

What does exaggerate mean?

Exaggerate means to describe something as bigger or more extreme than it is, or to make a feature look stronger than normal.

Is exaggerate the same as lying?

Not always. Exaggerate can mean stretching the truth for effect, while lying means saying something known to be false.

Can a design or picture exaggerate something?

Yes. A design, camera angle, drawing, or light can exaggerate a feature by making it look larger or more noticeable.

What is the past tense of exaggerate?

The past tense and past participle are exaggerated.

What are synonyms of exaggerate?

Common synonyms include overstate, inflate, magnify, embellish, and overplay.

What is the opposite of exaggerate?

Common opposites include understate, downplay, minimize, and soften, depending on the context.

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