exaggerate
Blow things up
To exaggerate is to represent something as larger, better, worse, or more significant than it actually is.
The impulse ranges from innocent embellishment to outright distortion: He exaggerated his accomplishments on the résumé.
Someone who exaggerates habitually may be called an exaggerator.
Physical features can be exaggerated too—enlarged or emphasized beyond normal proportions: The cartoon exaggerated the politician's ears.
Excessive importance placed
- bombastPretentious hollow language
- grandiloquencePompous, extravagant language
- pufferyOverblown self-promotion
- amplificationIncrease in intensity
superlative · tall tale · embroidery · florid · overkill · extravagance · excess · theatricality
Increase perceived size
escalate · boost · aggrandize · puff up · blow up · enlarge · overestimate · overvalue
Complex and detailed
enhance · amplify · beautify · embroider · overelaborate · garnish · dress up · jazz up
Cause false belief
- misrepresentDepict inaccurately or falsely
- distortTwist from original form
- falsifyDistort the truth
- fabricateInvent or manufacture
lie · fake · deceive · dissemble · pretend · feign · bluff · sham
Exaggeratedly emotional for effect
- melodramaticExaggeratedly emotional in expression
- hammyExcessively theatrical in style
- overactPerform with excess
- overdramatizeExaggerate emotional significance
histrionic · performative · sensational · flamboyant · showy · over-the-top · campy · grandiose
overemphasis
Excessive importance placed
- bombastPretentious hollow language
- grandiloquencePompous, extravagant language
- pufferyOverblown self-promotion
amplification · superlative · tall tale · embroidery · florid · overkill · extravagance · excess · theatricality · histrionics
magnify
Increase perceived size
balloon · escalate · boost · aggrandize · puff up · blow up · enlarge · overestimate · overvalue · overrate
elaborate
Complex and detailed
gild · enhance · amplify · beautify · embroider · overelaborate · garnish · dress up · jazz up · color
mislead
Cause false belief
- misrepresentDepict inaccurately or falsely
- distortTwist from original form
- falsifyDistort the truth
fabricate · lie · fake · deceive · dissemble · pretend · feign · bluff · sham · con
theatrical
Exaggeratedly emotional for effect
- melodramaticExaggeratedly emotional in expression
- hammyExcessively theatrical in style
- overactPerform with excess
overdramatize · histrionic · performative · sensational · flamboyant · showy · over-the-top · campy · grandiose · ostentatious
distort
Twist from original form
mock · cartoon · burlesque · travesty · grotesque · overdrawn · stereotype · send up · spoof · mimicry
- overreactfreak out, panic, explode, blow up, meltdown
- lay it on thickembellish, ham it up, overact, dramatize, inflate
- decoratedecorate, adorn, beautify, embellish, ornament
- Misrepresentationmisrepresent, distort, falsify, misquote, misstate
- showing offboasting, bragged, show off, bragging, boasted
- writing verbsnarrate, describe, recount, chronicle, transcribe
exaggerateunderstate
Express with restraint
downplay · minimize · underestimate · soft-pedal · play down
- exaggerated featuresAmplified distinguishing characteristics
- lying and exaggeratingDistorting facts intentionally
- exaggerated responseDisproportionate reaction to stimulus
- exaggerated reactionsDisproportionate emotional responses
- comic exaggerationHumorous overstatement for effect
- comedic exaggerationOverstatement for laughs
exaggerated, exaggeration, exaggerating, exaggerates, exaggerations, exaggerator, exaggerators, exaggerative