exaggerated

adjective

ex·​ag·​ger·​at·​ed ig-ˈza-jə-ˌrā-təd 

1

: excessively or inappropriately heightened, inflated, or overstated

exaggerated fears

a wildly exaggerated story

As students go from one disconnected course to the next, they tend to form a highly exaggerated idea of the differences between teachers and subjects.

—Gerald Graff

2

: enlarged or increased beyond the normal : greater than normal

… many people have an unusual or exaggerated response to a drug, but they are not necessarily allergic to the drug.

—Paul D. Buisseret

exaggeratedly adverb

… my own view of the art of architecture—a view that many people (including many architects) would perhaps consider an exaggeratedly lofty one.

—Brendan Gill

Koenig's movements were brisk, exaggeratedly optimistic.

—Nick Paumgarten

exaggeratedness noun

… we often do not respond to exaggeration by simply pointing out its exaggeratedness …

—Julie Kuhlken

Synonyms

• bloated
• hyperbolized
• inflated
• outsize
• outsized
• overblown
• overdrawn
• overweening

Examples of exaggerated in a Sentence

loves the exaggerated emotions that are part and parcel of grand opera

Recent Examples on the Web

And then, Jamie suddenly returned in the episode’s final moments, proving that reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 12 Dec. 2024

Cats use exaggerated movements to show emotions, rather than painting them on their faces. —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024

But with her spot-on impressions of her mother’s southern drawl, her exaggerated pantomiming skills and her impeccable sense of timing, the minutiae of everyday life is spun into comedy gold. —Them, 11 Dec. 2024

Curb Your Enthusiasm premiered on HBO in 2000, inspired by an hourlong mockumentary initially intended as a one-off in which David, 77, portrays an exaggerated version of himself. —Esther Kang, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of exaggerate

First Known Use

circa 1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1