exagerate

Exaggerate is a verb meaning to make something seem larger, more important, better, or worse than it really is. The standard spelling is exaggerate, with a double g after the a. The word derives from Old French exagérer, via Latin exaggerare, from ex- “out” and agger “a heap.”

Usage and nuance: In everyday speech, people exaggerate to emphasize a point, express emotion, or entertain. They may also do so unintentionally when perception differs from reality. Examples: “I waited for ages” or “This costs a fortune.” In writing, exaggeration can serve humor, satire, or rhetorical effect.

Relation to hyperbole: Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses deliberate overstatement for emphasis. All hyperbole is exaggeration, but not all exaggeration is hyperbole.

Spelling note: The form exagerate is a common misspelling; the correct spelling is exaggerate. Related forms include exaggeration (noun) and exaggerated (adjective).