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ex·ag·ger·ate (ĭg-zăjə-rāt)
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v. ex·ag·ger·at·ed, ex·ag·ger·at·ing, ex·ag·ger·ates
v.tr.
To consider, represent, or cause to appear as larger, more important, or more extreme than is actually the case; overstate: exaggerated his own role in the episode; exaggerated the size of the enemy force; exaggerated how difficult the project would be.
v.intr.
To make overstatements.

[Latin exaggerāre, exaggerāt-, to heap up, magnify : ex-, intensive pref.; see EX- + aggerāre, to pile up (from agger, pile, from aggerere, to bring to : ad-, ad- + gerere, to bring).]

ex·agger·ated·ly adv.
ex·agger·ation n.
ex·agger·ative, ex·agger·a·tory (-ə-tôrē) adj.
ex·agger·ator n.

Synonyms: exaggerate, inflate, magnify, overstate
These verbs mean to represent something as being larger or greater than it actually is: exaggerated the size of the fish I caught; inflated his own importance; magnifying her part in their success; overstated his income on the loan application.
Antonym: minimize

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.