exaggerated
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ɪɡˈzædʒ.ə.reɪ.tɪd/
KK: /ɪɡˈzædʒ.ə.reɪ.tɪd/
adjective
Definition
Describing something that is made to seem larger, more important, or more extreme than it really is.
Example
His story about the trip was so exaggerated that no one believed him.
Conversation
Did you see that movie?
Yeah, I thought the plot was a bit exaggerated at times.
Right? It felt like they tried too hard to make things dramatic.
Exactly! Sometimes less is more in storytelling.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
overstated
inflated
magnified
Antonyms
understated
diminished
reduced
verb
Definition
To make something seem larger, more important, or more extreme than it really is.
Example
He exaggerated the story to make it more interesting.
Tense Forms
Past: exaggerated
Past Participle: exaggerated
Conversation
Did you hear his story about hiking?
Yeah, he really exaggerated how tough it was, didn't he?
Totally! I mean, it was hard, but not that hard.
Root Explanation
Exaggerated → It is formed from "ex-" (meaning out) and "aggerare" (meaning to heap up or increase). The word describes something that has been made to seem greater or more intense than it actually is, as if it has been heaped up.
Memory Tip
Think of something being 'pushed out' ('ex-') and 'heaped up' ('aggerare') to remember that 'exaggerated' means to make something seem greater than it really is.
Visually Confused Words
unexaggerated
aggerate
exasperated