exaggerate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to regard or represent as larger or greater, more important or more successful, etc, than is true
-
(tr) to make greater, more noticeable, etc, than usual
his new clothes exaggerated his awkwardness
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exaggerate
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin exaggerātus “heaped up,” past participle of exaggerāre “to heap up,” from ex- ex- 1 + agger “heap” + -āre, infinitive verb suffix
Explanation
When you exaggerate you stretch the truth. Fishermen tend to exaggerate the size of their fish. And children tend to exaggerate the seriousness of their cuts in order to get cute Band-Aids. We all have a tendency to exaggerate. It makes our stories funnier, or more dramatic. After all, when you exaggerate, you're not really lying — you're just overstating things. The word exaggerate can also suggest that a particular characteristic is overdone or almost larger than life. If you describe someone as having an exaggerated limp, he or she might be walking like a gorilla.
Vocabulary lists containing exaggerate
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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List 4
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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.
Exaggerate the proportions and zoot-iness will be achieved.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2023
Now, for his new book, "I Exaggerate: My Brushes with Fame," he's created a visual memoir of caricatures and reminiscences, featuring the likes of Robin Williams, David Letterman, Chris Rock, Steve Martin and Tiffany Haddish.
From Salon • Nov. 10, 2022
His playful portraits of entertainers present and past will be on display in his first art book, the highly engaging “I Exaggerate: My Brushes With Fame,” due out Tuesday.
From Washington Post • Oct. 22, 2022
Former Steelers running back Merril Hoge might say it stands for Conclusions That Exaggerate.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 26, 2018
Exaggerate the consonantal sounds in every instance, and the points of contact or places of articulation will be very evident.
From The Renaissance of the Vocal Art by Myer, Edmund
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.
