Synonyms for exaggerate
All synonyms
Verb
1. Overstate
overstate, magnify, amplify, overemphasize, overemphasise UK, heighten, enlarge, overcalculate, stretch informal dated, overdraw dated, overcharge dated, aggravate dated, big up slang, hyperbolize dated, hyperbolise UK
Definitions
- v. 1
To overstate, to describe more than the fact.
I've told you a billion times not to exaggerate!
Forms
- Past participle
- exaggerated
e.g. exaggerated → overstated, magnified, amplified, overemphasized…
Example sentences
- amplify I just want to amplify my understanding of the world.
- magnify You can use a magnifying glass to magnify small text.
- overstate The importance of this topic is hard to overstate.
- overemphasize It is impossible to overemphasize its importance.
- caricature This is not a parody, but a friendly caricature.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| exaggerate | steady | |
| amplify | rising | |
| magnify | rising | |
| overstate | rising | |
| overemphasize | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 6 letters
- overdo3
- 7 letters
- stretch1, amplify3, enlarge2, magnify3
- 8 letters
- heighten2, overdraw3
- 9 letters
- aggravate3, overstate3, overpaint
- 10 letters
- caricature4, overcharge3, overstrain
- 11 letters
- hyperbolize, hyperbolise
- 13 letters
- overemphasize5, overemphasise, overcalculate
- 14 letters
- overexaggerate
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (overdo3 = 3 syllables).