ex ‧ ag ‧ ge ‧ rate /ɪɡˈzædʒəreɪt/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of exaggerare 'to make into a pile' , from agger 'pile' ]
to make something seem better, larger, worse etc than it really is:
I couldn’t sleep for three days – I’m not exaggerating.
it’s easy/difficult/impossible to exaggerate something
It’s difficult to exaggerate the importance of sleep.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ phrases
▪ it is difficult/hard/impossible to exaggerate something (=used to say that something cannot be made to seem more important etc than it already is)
It is difficult to exaggerate the strength of people’s feelings on this matter.
▪ it is easy to exaggerate something
It’s all too easy to exaggerate the importance of these rather minor factors.
▪ exaggerate the importance/significance (of something)
Personally, I think society exaggerates the importance of marriage.
▪ exaggerate the extent of something (=say that the size or degree of something is greater than it really is)
The army exaggerated the extent to which the operation was a success.
▪ exaggerate the impact (of something) (=say the effect or influence of something is worse than it really is)
We believe the Chancellor is exaggerating the impact these proposals will have.
▪ exaggerate the size (of something)
I’m sure Tommy is exaggerating the size of the problem.
▪ exaggerate the effect (of something)
He yawned widely, exaggerating the effect by stretching his arms wide.
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THESAURUS
▪ exaggerate to say that something is much bigger, better, worse, more important etc than it really is:
He exaggerated his own achievements.
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These claims are wildly exaggerated.
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The grass in the garden was about three feet high – I’m not exaggerating.
▪ blow something (up) out of all proportion to say a situation or event is a lot worse or much more serious than it really is:
The problem really has been blown up out of all proportion.
▪ make too much of something to treat something that has happened as though it were more important or serious than it really is – used especially when saying that you should not do this:
She loved the fact that he’d sent her flowers, but she didn’t want to make too much of it in case it meant nothing.
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It's probably nothing – children often get these strange ideas. You shouldn’t make too much of them
▪ overemphasize ( also overemphasise British English ) to say that a part of something is more important and has a bigger effect than is really true, especially in relation to other things:
The importance of cleanliness in the preparation of food cannot be overemphasized.
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Historians have tended to overemphasize the role of the monarchy in British history.
▪ overstate to describe something in a way that makes it sound more important or serious than it really is:
Sometimes she overstates her case.
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The importance of advertising can hardly be overstated.
▪ overplay to make something seem more important than it is, in the way that you talk about it or treat it:
The media has greatly overplayed this issue.
▪ glorify to make someone or something seem much better, less harmful etc than they really are – used when you think it is wrong to do this:
His films glorify violence.
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My father never glorified war.
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These images were produced in order to glorify the empire.
▪ talk something up informal to talk about something in a way that makes it appear more important, interesting, or successful than it really is, especially to get someone’s support or interest:
At the interview, he talked up his experience of working in sales.
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The government tried to talk up the threat posed by these countries, in order to justify an increase in military spending.
▪ overrated adjective if you think someone or something is overrated, you think they are not nearly as good as people claim:
I think her books are overrated.
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As a player he’s overrated.
▪ idealized adjective an idealized image, view, picture etc of someone or something shows them as being much better than they really are:
His books give an idealized picture of English rural life.
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her friend’s idealized view of marriage