Meaning & Definition of word "Exaggerate"

Exaggerate

/ɪɡˈzadʒ.ə.reɪt/

1. To represent something as being larger, greater, better, or worse than it really is.
- Example: She tends to exaggerate her achievements when telling her friends about her job.
2. To overstate or make an overemphasized claim.
- Example: The story he told about the storm was so exaggerated that no one believed it.
3. To increase the importance or effect of something beyond the truth.
- Example: It's not necessary to exaggerate the consequences of the issue; we can approach it calmly.
4. To enlarge or increase something in a misleading way.
- Example: The advertisement exaggerated the benefits of the product, making it seem like a miracle solution.

From Latin 'exaggerare', meaning 'to heap up, increase, to elevate'.

blow out of proportion:

To make something seem more serious or important than it is.

make a mountain out of a molehill:

To exaggerate a trivial matter.

overstatement:

The action of expressing something in excessive terms.

embellish:

To make something more attractive by adding details.

hyperbole:

Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Meaning: Lay it on thick

Example Sentence: He really laid it on thick about his vacation.

Meaning: Go overboard

Example Sentence: She went overboard with the decorations for the party.