hyperbole
Americannoun
-
obvious and intentional exaggeration.
-
an extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally, as “to wait an eternity.”
- Synonyms:
- overstatement
- Antonyms:
- understatement
noun
Usage
What is hyperbole? Hyperbole is an intentional, obvious exaggeration, such as I hit that dang piñata a million times before it broke. Hyperbole is not supposed to be taken literally. The reader or listener is supposed to know that the user of hyperbole is joking or not being serious, as in It took them forever to finally finish raking the leaves. The adjective form of hyperbole is hyperbolic, as in My grandfather often told me hyperbolic stories of walking 30 miles to go to school. The opposite of hyperbole is litotes, an intentional understatement, as in Leonardo da Vinci was not bad at painting.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of hyperbole
First recorded in 1520–30; from Greek hyperbolḗ “excess, exaggeration, a throwing beyond,” equivalent to hyper- hyper- + bolḗ “a throw”
Explanation
Praising your favorite sports team is one thing, but if you call the team the most incredible group of humans ever to walk the earth, then you're going overboard and indulging in hyperbole. The hyper- in hyperbole means "beyond," so it's a good sign that the word has to do with going above and beyond what's necessary. Someone who gets hyperactive about something and ends up hyperventilating (breathing too hard) might be prone to the exaggerated style of speaking known as hyperbole. If you find yourself talking about the absolutely best (or worst) thing of all time, it's time to take it down a notch and cut down on the hyperbole.
Vocabulary lists containing hyperbole
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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.
When texting Trump, Rutte would echo the president’s own syntax and hyperbole, keeping his messages congratulatory, with staccato sentences.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026
Such hyperbole is nothing new for Trump, of course.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
To unaffiliated scientists, Colossal’s talk of de-extincting long-gone species is hyperbole: hopelessly premature and consistently oversold.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
District Judge George Hanks Jr. tossed the suit out, noting that the statement was obvious “rhetorical hyperbole that cannot constitute defamation.”
From Salon • May 16, 2026
Buster’s claim that his dog could read was hyperbole.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
