Exaggeration

/ɪɡˌzædʒ.əˈreɪ.ʃən/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The act of making something seem larger, greater, better, or worse than it really is.

His story about catching the biggest fish was an exaggeration; it was only a small one.

A statement that represents something as being larger, better, or worse than it really is.

She accused him of exaggeration when he claimed he ran a marathon in two hours.

A statement or claim that is not meant to be taken literally.

The phrase 'I've told you a million times' is just an exaggeration.

An overstatement for emphasis or effect.

In advertising, exaggeration is often used to make products seem more appealing.

From Middle French 'exagération', from Latin 'exaggeratio', 'exaggerare' meaning 'to heap up, increase'.

a mountain out of a molehill

Making a small issue seem much larger than it is.

blow out of proportion

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

pipe dream

An idea or plan that is unlikely to happen, often exaggerated.

overstate

To describe something in a way that makes it seem more important or serious than it really is.

hyperbole

Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

embellishment

A statement that makes something sound better or more interesting than it actually is.

Tall tale

He always tells tall tales about his childhood, full of exaggeration.

Stretching the truth

She was stretching the truth when she said she could run a marathon without training.