hyperbolic
Americanadjective
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having the nature of hyperbole; exaggerated.
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using hyperbole; exaggerating.
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Mathematics.
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of or relating to a hyperbola.
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derived from a hyperbola, as a hyperbolic function.
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adjective
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of or relating to a hyperbola
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rhetoric of or relating to a hyperbole
Other Word Forms
- hyperbolically adverb
- nonhyperbolic adjective
- nonhyperbolical adjective
- nonhyperbolically adverb
- semihyperbolic adjective
Etymology
Origin of hyperbolic
1640–50; hyperbole or hyperbol(a) + -ic
Explanation
If someone is hyperbolic, they tend to exaggerate things as being way bigger deals than they really are. Hyperbolic statements are tiny dogs with big barks: don’t take them too seriously. Hyperbolic is an adjective that comes from the word hyperbole, which means an exaggerated claim. The Greek root huperbolē means “excess,” and broken down even further the word literally translates as “throw above.” Imagine tossing a football to a friend, but you throw it way above their head and onto a roof. That’s an excess of throwing, and it’s not necessary, which is exactly what being hyperbolic is all about: making statements bigger than necessary.
Vocabulary lists containing hyperbolic
100 SAT Words Beginning with "H"
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This Week In Culture: February 8–14, 2020
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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.
"They are playing to the AI aesthetics and hyperbolic anti-imperialist narratives that draw attention, spark controversy and get rewarded by platforms."
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
Critics say the marketing—including claims that 20 minutes equals four hours in the gym—is hyperbolic.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
He also said his earlier remark that Israel could take it "all" had been somewhat "hyperbolic".
From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026
It also applies to hyperbolic geometries, which are commonly used in theoretical physics and modern models of spacetime.
From Science Daily • Jan. 7, 2026
But Sullivan laced his 1924 autobiography with hyperbolic attacks on Burnham and the fair’s impact on the masses who came through its gates.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
