opgespoten

Opgespoten is the past participle of the Dutch verb opspuiten, meaning to pump up, spray on, or inject in order to enlarge or enhance. The term is used to describe something that has been artificially increased in size or effect, either literally through cosmetic procedures or figuratively to indicate inflated figures or exaggerated claims.

In cosmetic contexts, opgespoten typically refers to body or facial enhancements achieved with fillers, implants, or other injections, such as lippen opgespoten or borsten opgespoten. The phrase often carries a critical or negative nuance, suggesting artificiality or excess, and it is common in media, gossip, and online discourse. It can be encountered in more neutral medical descriptions as well, but the tone is usually informal.

Figuratively, opgespoten can describe numbers, prices, or promises that have been artificially inflated. Examples include "de cijfers opgespoten" or "de prijzen opgespoten," where the augmentation is not physical but rhetorical or statistical. The construction is flexible: subject + is/was opgespoten + object, with context indicating whether the augmentation is cosmetic or figurative.

Etymology and usage notes: the word derives from opspuiten, with the prefix op- conveying upward augmentation. It is an informal, often judgmental term, more common in everyday language and media than in formal medical or technical writing. Relative synonyms include opblazen or opgeblazen, though opgespoten emphasizes injection-based or material augmentation in particular.