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Glite Dictionary
to overexaggerate

to overexaggerate

1 5.4
To make something seem much worse or bigger than it is
  • verb
  • /ˌoʊvərɪɡˈzædʒəreɪt/
translation icon : exagerar en exceso
  • Like Mark Twain, PC's supposed demise has been vastly overexaggerated; I suspect most prominently by those who wish that the term would go away.

Examples

  • Of course, this movie was overexaggerated to increase the drama.

    Blog text (20)

  • You have to stop overexaggerating.

    The Man in the White Van (2024)

  • The same is true for any implication that you might be "overexaggerating" your credentials.

    Blog text (14)

  • - You're overexaggerating.

    Nobody's Fool (2018)

  • Many people tend to overexaggerate their achievements in job interviews.

  • It's easy to overexaggerate the impact of social media on our lives.

  • When discussing the event, she decided not to overexaggerate the challenges she faced.

Synonyms

to exaggerate
vsto overexaggerate
258 3.1

To say something is larger, better, or worse than it really is

is doing that in an excessive or unnecessary degree
to overstate
vsto overexaggerate
70 4.2

Say something is bigger or more important than it really is

does this beyond what is reasonable or necessary
to overdo
vsto overexaggerate
58 3.6

Do something too much, more than needed

focuses on excess itself rather than simply making things seem bigger
to overestimate
vsto overexaggerate
50 4.1

To think something is larger or more important than it really is

is making that judgment to an unnecessarily high degree
to inflate
vsto overexaggerate
47 4.2

To make something seem more important or bigger than it really is

adds an extra, needless level of exaggeration
to magnify
vsto overexaggerate
34 4.6

To make something seem more important or serious than it really is

is doing that portrayal to an unnecessary extreme
to expand
vsto overexaggerate
20 3.4

To make something seem larger or more important than it is

is enlarging that idea to an unnecessary degree
to overplay
vsto overexaggerate
13 4.6

Make something seem more important or serious than it really is

is that emphasis taken to an excessive degree
to amplify
vsto overexaggerate
9 5.6

To make something seem bigger or more important than it really is

is that action pushed to an excessive degree
to overemphasize
vsto overexaggerate
8 5.5

Treat something as more important than it should be

does this in an extreme, unnecessary way
to oversell
vsto overexaggerate
7 4.9

Make something seem better than it really is

is that praise taken to an unnecessary extreme
to stretch the truth
vsto overexaggerate
  • Informal
5 5.3

To make a story seem better than it really is

is that distortion carried out to an excessive level
to blow up
vsto overexaggerate
4 3.7

To make something seem more important or bigger than it is

is doing that treatment in an excessive, unreasonable way
to overhype
vsto overexaggerate
4 5.8

Praise something more than it really deserves

does that promotion to an exaggerated, excessive degree
to overdramatize
vsto overexaggerate
3 6.6

Describe something as more serious or emotional than it really is

goes further by making that drama excessive or unnecessary
to overinflate
vsto overexaggerate
1 5.1

Make something seem much bigger or more important than it is

pushes that portrayal to an extreme or needless level
to overblow
vsto overexaggerate
1 5.9

To make something seem more important or serious than it is

takes that presentation into an unnecessary extreme
to overstress
vsto overexaggerate
1 5.8

To give something too much importance

is emphasizing to an unnecessary or extreme level
to hyperbolize
vsto overexaggerate
  • US
1 7.9

To make something seem much bigger or more important than it really is

is using that representation in an overly strong way
to overtell
vsto overexaggerate
7.1

To make a story sound more exciting or important than it really is

pushes that embellishment into needless excess
to overdraw
vsto overexaggerate
6.6

Describe something as more important or impressive than it really is

is performing that description to an unnecessary extreme

How Exaggerated

to overexaggerate
1 5.4
to exaggerate
258 3.1
to state
∞ 1.6
to understate
18 5.2

Surface Forms

overexaggerate infinitive
overexaggerated past
overexaggerated past participle
overexaggerating present participle
overexaggerates third person singular

Morphology

overexaggerate = exaggerate (transparent) = over + exaggerate

Meaning is directly formed by the productive prefix 'over-' added to the verb 'exaggerate' to indicate doing the action to an excessive degree, so learners can derive the sense despite stylistic criticism of redundancy.

Etymology

Overexaggerate is a modern combination of over- and exaggerate: over- means 'too much', just like in overdo or overeat, and exaggerate means 'to make something seem bigger or more extreme'. So overexaggerate means to exaggerate 'too much', to make something much bigger than it really is.