Exagerate or Exaggerate: Which Is Correct?

"Exagerate" is an incorrect spelling. The correct spelling is "exaggerate."

"Exaggerate" is a verb that means to overstate, magnify, or describe something in a way that goes beyond the truth or reality. When someone exaggerates, they intentionally make something seem larger, more intense, or more significant than it actually is.

Exaggeration often involves adding extra details, emphasizing certain aspects, or stretching the truth to make a point, create an effect, or capture attention. It is a rhetorical technique used in storytelling, humor, or emphasis, but it should be understood that exaggeration does not reflect an accurate representation of reality.

For example, if someone says, "I waited for ages," when they actually waited for only a few minutes, they are exaggerating the length of time to emphasize their impatience. Similarly, if someone says, "I have a million things to do," when they have several tasks but not literally a million, it is an exaggerated expression to emphasize a heavy workload.

Exaggeration is often used in everyday conversation, storytelling, or creative writing to add emphasis, create humor, or make a point more vividly. However, it is important to recognize when someone is using exaggeration and not take their words literally.

Example sentences

My friend tends to exaggerate the size of the fish he caught.
Don't exaggerate the difficulty of the task; it's not as challenging as you make it out to be.
She always exaggerates her accomplishments to impress others.
The movie's special effects were so exaggerated that it felt unrealistic.
Please don't exaggerate your symptoms when describing them to the doctor.
He tends to exaggerate when telling funny stories to make them more entertaining.
The news report exaggerated the extent of the storm's damage.
My sister loves to exaggerate the number of people at her party to make it sound more exciting.
The salesman exaggerated the benefits of the product to make a sale.
The comedian's performance was hilarious because she exaggerated the quirks and behaviors of everyday people.

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