hyperbole
- noun
- /haɪˈpɜr.bəˌli/
- Her claim that she ran a marathon in two hours was pure hyperbole meant to impress her friends.
- use hyperbole
- hyperbole and exaggeration
So it's a bit of hyperbole, but not much.
- So it's a bit of hyperbole, but not much.
- There's truly no hyperbole that can capture what you are capable of doing.
- And hopefully this is not just hyperbole.
- Some people might realize that it's kind of hyperbole and joking.
- Well, I mean, you can use it's hyperbole, but it's a basic.
- And I've got slight slightly inured to that hyperbole every four years.
- But you use hyperbole and exaggeration and stuff like that.
Examples
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The applause of the crowd and the hyperbole of the critics meant nothing to him.
Fiction book (1990) -
Never hurts to employ a little hyperbole.
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And obviously that was hyperbole, but it's not far off.
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A little hyperbole, but making their case.
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So it's a bit of hyperbole, but not much.
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I mean, Trump has just, I mean, he speaks in hyperbole all the time.
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I can tell you truly, without any hyperbole, that I have had to refuse over one hundred.
Academic text (2015) -
I am trying to be a realist in the sea of hyperbole about this.
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There's truly no hyperbole that can capture what you are capable of doing.
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First, was the advertisement a serious offer, or was it, like many advertisements, mere hyperbole, not meant to be taken seriously?
Synonyms
A statement that makes something seem bigger, better, or worse than it is
Saying something is more important or serious than it really is
To use exaggerated words or statements that are not meant to be taken literally
Antonyms
Saying something in a way that makes it seem less important, serious, or bad than it really is
How Exaggerated
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word hyperbole comes from Greek parts hyper- meaning 'over' and bole meaning 'a throw'. A helpful image is 'throwing things too far', which explains why hyperbole means an extreme, not literal, exaggeration.