igˈzajəˌrāt, eg-, usu -ād.+V verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin exaggeratus, past participle of exaggerare, from ex- ex- (I) + aggerare to pile up, from agger heap, mound, breastwork, from aggerere to carry toward, from ad- + gerere to carry — more at jest
transitive verb
1. obsolete : to heap up : accumulate
2. : to enlarge beyond bounds or the truth : delineate extravagantly : overstate the truth concerning
a friend exaggerates a man's virtues — Joseph Addison
exaggerated their difficulties in order to enhance their accomplishments
3. : to enlarge or increase especially beyond the normal
the brightly flowered dress exaggerates her corpulence
the exaggerated crests of certain fowls
intransitive verb
: to misrepresent on the side of largeness (as of size, extent, or value) : overstate the truth