Übersteigerung

Übersteigerung is a German noun (die Übersteigerung) meaning an excessive elevation, amplification, or exaggeration of something. Etymologically it combines über- “over” with Steigerung “increase, escalation.” The term can refer to a broad set of phenomena where a feature, quality, or value is magnified beyond its normal or warranted degree.

In everyday language and rhetoric, Übersteigerung is used to describe deliberate exaggeration or hyperbole. It is often synonymous with Übertreibung and, in literary terms, linked to the figure of speech Hyperbel. Examples include an exaggerated expression of emotions, hopes, or qualities, such as a “Übersteigerung der Gefühle” or a dramatized appraisal of events, intended to heighten effect or critique.

In psychology and psychiatry, the term is used to denote a pattern of distorted self- or other-perception characterized by excessive valuation, grandiosity, or idealization. It can appear as a defense mechanism or as a symptom within various affective, narcissistic, or psychotic presentations. In clinical descriptions, Übersteigerung may describe how a person elevates certain objects, persons, or ideas beyond their objective importance, often contributing to conflicts, delusions, or maladaptive behavior.

In arts, philosophy, and cultural analysis, the concept may be used to discuss deliberate magnification or intensification of aspects of reality as a stylistic or critical device, sometimes to expose social norms or to provoke reflection on perception itself.

See also: Übertreibung, Hyperbel, Grandiosität.