english
1
general::
exaggerate
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.
transnet.ir
2
general::
exaggerate
to say that something is much bigger, better, worse, more important etc than it really is:
• He exaggerated his own achievements. • These claims are wildly exaggerated. • 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. • 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. • 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 . • 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. • My father never glorified war. • 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. • 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. • 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. • her friend’s idealized view of marriage
Longman-Thesaurus
3
general::
verb
overstated:
He exaggerated his accomplishments.
Simple Definitions
4
general::
verb ADV. greatly, grossly, vastly, wildly These figures have been greatly exaggerated. | a little, rather, slightly, somewhat | further | easily The historical significance of these events can be easily exaggerated (= it is easy to think they are more significant than they are). | artificially, deliberately VERB + EXAGGERATE tend to John does tend to exaggerate slightly. | be easy to | be difficult to, be hard to, be impossible to It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of developing good study habits.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary