Meaning & use
exaggerates
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“exaggerates” is a form of “exaggerate”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
verbtransitive or intransitive
Describes something as bigger, better, worse, or more important than it really is.
Grammar: Can take an object (exaggerate the danger) or stand alone (Don't exaggerate!).
Patterns
- exaggerate something
- exaggerate how/what ...
- exaggerate about something
He always exaggerates when he tells stories about his childhood.
The news report exaggerated the number of people at the protest.
Stop exaggerating — it wasn't that expensive.
Word forms
| base form | exaggerate |
|---|---|
| past tense | exaggerated |
| past participle | exaggerated |
| -ing form | exaggerating |
Common combinations
- grossly exaggerate
- The media grossly exaggerated the threat.
- exaggerate the importance of something
- Don't exaggerate the importance of this single test.
- exaggerate the truth
- She tends to exaggerate the truth to make her story more exciting.
- without exaggerating
- Without exaggerating, I can say it was the best meal I've ever had.
Synonyms and how they differ
- overstate
- More formal; often used about facts or figures, as in 'overstate the case'.
- overdo
- Suggests doing something to an extreme, not just describing it as extreme.
- embellish
- Means to make a story more interesting by adding details, often not true.
Opposites
Word family
- exaggeration noun
- A statement that makes something seem larger or more important than it is.
- exaggerated adjective
- Describes something that has been made to seem larger or more extreme.
Commonly confused: exaggerates or exacerbate?
exaggerates vs exacerbate
Sounds similar but means 'to make a problem worse', not 'to make something seem bigger'.
Practice
Which sentence uses the verb exaggerate correctly?
Choose one answer.
Exaggerate takes a direct object, so 'exaggerated the number' is correct. Option A uses 'about' unnecessarily; option C uses 'to' incorrectly; option D uses 'on' incorrectly.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “exaggerates”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.