exaggerate

verb

ig-ˈza-jə-ˌrāt How to pronounce exaggerate (audio)
Definition of exaggeratenext
1
as in to enhance
to add to the interest of by including made-up details the American colonist John Smith is believed by many historians to have exaggerated his adventures

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overstate
to describe or express in too strong terms it would be impossible to exaggerate the importance of this entrance exam

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exaggerate The real Tyrone might not have understood why Bourdain exaggerated the story, but Johnson seems to. — Mike Miller, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 How Candidates Are Using AI to Cheat Generative AI tools allow candidates to rewrite resumes to match job descriptions, exaggerate experience, and present skills convincingly regardless of actual proficiency. — Kara Dennison, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Hair loss from shock was one that occurred and exaggerated his past concerns about his hairline. — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026 Ed Yohnka, spokesman for Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said Flock has, in some cases, exaggerated how the technology contributes to public safety. — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exaggerate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exaggerate
  1. enhance
  2. overstate
  3. pad
  4. overdo
  5. hyperbolize
  6. stretch
  7. color
  8. overdraw
Verb
  • Meta agreed to impose changes including a default two-hour daily time limit for teens across Facebook and Instagram, muted notifications during school hours, and enhanced parental controls, with more updates potentially on the horizon.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Leaders must prioritize building cognitive and identity infrastructure, focusing on *how* people think and their self-authorship, ensuring AI enhances human judgment rather than standardizing it.
    — Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of enhance
Verb
  • Deloitte pins the unimagined cascade effect at an additional $541 billion and did not add it to the final estimate to avoid overstating the size of the lunar economy.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Kiyosaki may also have overstated Kimi’s importance in his life.
    — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of overstate
Verb
  • This design helps the pillow stay in place without shifting and many even include a backrest and padded arms.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Jones, the former Apple exec who recently re-joined Amazon, padded out the programming wish list.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of pad
Verb
  • But Montgomery cautions against overdoing it with vinegar as a weed control method.
    — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 22 Aug. 2026
  • From two-tone cardigans for dinner and straw hats for family beach days to her signature breezy button-downs, Markle’s getaway style is a master class in looking polished without overdoing it.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of overdo
Verb
  • Gauthier was hyperbolizing, but his statement looked true Monday.
    — Peter Baugh, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
  • The filthy talk of collusion, of course hyperbolized by Unsocial Media, again is crawling out of the swamp.
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2023
Definition of hyperbolize
Verb
  • The seasonal calendar is stretching earlier, chains are competing to own the first sip of autumn, and customers are voting with their orders.
    — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026
  • And Experian IdentityWorks is a solid, affordable pick if you're already stretched thin by loan payments, with a free tier and paid plans still under $25 a month for three-bureau coverage.
    — Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of stretch
Verb
  • Yet Williams senses an opportunity to color outside the lines, to hunt a big play to one of his favorite targets.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In addition to card games that take up little storage space, think about adding coloring books and markers or crayons to your storm shelter game collection.
    — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of color
Verb
  • No fee if the transaction is $5 or less or your account is overdrawn by $20 or less.
    — Dan Avery, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Slightly overdraw the cupid’s bow and the center of your bottom lip — but leave the corners alone.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 29 July 2026
Definition of overdraw

Browse Nearby Words

exacts
exaggerate
exaggerated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exaggerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exaggerate. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All