exaggerated
Americanadjective
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unduly or unrealistically magnified.
to have an exaggerated opinion of oneself.
-
abnormally increased or enlarged.
adjective
-
unduly or excessively magnified; enlarged beyond truth or reasonableness
-
pathol abnormally enlarged
an exaggerated spleen
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exaggerated
First recorded in 1545–55; exaggerate + -ed 2
Explanation
Exaggerated describes something that's been overstated, or described as more impressive than it really is. Your exaggerated details stretched the truth, but they sure made your story funny and memorable. Something that is exaggerated is described as better or bigger than it actually is, like your exaggerated description of the terrible day you had. Exaggerated can also describe something that is oversized, like the exaggerated collar on a funky sweater. The original meaning of exaggerated, in the early 1500s, was "piled up or accumulated." To spell exaggerate correctly, think of bragger.
Vocabulary lists containing exaggerated
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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"Fine?" Vocabulary from the short story
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The Pigman
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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.
He followed this with more novels like So Many Times Pedro and The Exaggerated Life of Martín Romaña, which displayed his capacity for irony and penetration into the human soul that characterised his work.
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026
Exaggerated stories of Mitnick’s exploits and abilities also made the rounds, sometimes fueling hysteria.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 20, 2023
Exaggerated headlines and cherry-picking of results for “I told you so” media moments can dangerously undermine the long-term integrity of the science—something we can little afford right now.
From Slate • Sep. 10, 2020
Exaggerated accounts of the Fort William Henry massacre soon inflamed the British and American side and fed the Americans’ fear of Indians for decades to come.
From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018
Exaggerated though these thoughts may appear, they were undoubtedly of the most critical importance to the middle-aged priest.
From The Borghesi Astronomical Clock in the Museum of History and Technology Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, Paper 35, the Smithsonian Institution United States National Museum Bulletin 240 by Bedini, Silvio A.
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.
