Hyperbole
noun
An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.
She used a hyperbole by saying she could sleep for a year, just to convey her tiredness.
Often appears as...
- gross hyperbole
- absurd hyperbole
noun
A figure of speech where the truth is exaggerated for dramatic effect.
In the heat of the moment, he used a hyperbole stating he could eat a horse.
Often appears as...
- use hyperbole
- employ hyperbole
Usage tips
Literary
noun
An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.
She used a hyperbole by saying she could sleep for a year, just to convey her tiredness.
Often appears as...
- gross hyperbole
- absurd hyperbole
noun
A figure of speech where the truth is exaggerated for dramatic effect.
In the heat of the moment, he used a hyperbole stating he could eat a horse.
Often appears as...
- use hyperbole
- employ hyperbole
Usage tips
Literary
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Impact
Hyperbole often carries strong emotions to highlight feelings or create humor.
I’m so hungry I could eat an elephant.
Pro Tip 2/3Avoid Literality
Remember, hyperboles are not meant to be taken literally; they're for emphasis.
He’s running faster than the wind.
Pro Tip 3/3Common in Speech
Hyperbole is frequently used in everyday conversation, not just in writing.
This bag weighs a ton!
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Impact
Hyperbole often carries strong emotions to highlight feelings or create humor.
I’m so hungry I could eat an elephant.
Pro Tip 2/3Avoid Literality
Remember, hyperboles are not meant to be taken literally; they're for emphasis.
He’s running faster than the wind.
Pro Tip 3/3Common in Speech
Hyperbole is frequently used in everyday conversation, not just in writing.
This bag weighs a ton!
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Impact
Hyperbole often carries strong emotions to highlight feelings or create humor.
I’m so hungry I could eat an elephant.
Pro Tip 2/3Avoid Literality
Remember, hyperboles are not meant to be taken literally; they're for emphasis.
He’s running faster than the wind.
Pro Tip 3/3Common in Speech
Hyperbole is frequently used in everyday conversation, not just in writing.
This bag weighs a ton!
Compare with
aggrandizementamplificationcaricatureembellishexaggerateextravagancemagnificationoverstate
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Video examples
Are droids taking our...
Freeman Dyson is actually not hyperbole this is an accurate assessment of what's going on our digital art technologies are great gifts and we right now have the great good fortune to be living at a time when digital technology is flourishing when it is broadening and deepening and being becoming more
Video examples
Neil MacGregor: 2600...
by a victorious army that we've got. And it's written, as we'll see in due course, by very skilled P.R. consultants. So the hyperbole is not actually surprising. And what is the great king, the powerful king, the king of the four quarters of the world going to do?
Video examples
What will future jobs...
is not hyperbole at all. This is just a plain statement of the facts. We are in the middle of an astonishing period. Which brings up another great What could possibly go wrong in this new machine age? Right? Great, hang up, flourish, go home.
Video examples
Jacqueline Novogratz: A...
into safe, affordable community housing. Educational initiatives like DIL and The Citizen Foundation that are building schools across the country. It's not hyperbole to say that these civil society institutions and these social entrepreneurs
Video examples
Alison Jackson: A...
I was exploring, at the time, the hyperbole of icons -- and Diana and Marilyn -- and the importance of celebrity in our lives. How they wheedle their way into the collective psyche without us even knowing, and how that should happen.
Video examples
Andrew McAfee: Are...
is actually not hyperbole. This is an accurate assessment of what's going on. Our technologies are great gifts, and we, right now, have the great good fortune to be living at a time when digital technology is flourishing,
Video examples
Sheryl WuDunn: Our...
The cause of our time is the brutality that so many people face around the world because of their gender. So some of you may be thinking, "Gosh, that's hyperbole. She's exaggerating." Well, let me ask you this question.
Video examples
Dan Barber: A surprising...
And the problem with saying that, of course, is that you know, at this point it risks hyperbole really easily. And I'd like to make a metaphor, but I don't have one really. I was drinking this guy's Kool-Aid so much,
Video examples
What we learned from 5...
Of course what we did when faced with such outrageous hyperbole was what any self-respecting researchers would have done. We took a page out of XKCD,
Video examples
What we learned from 5...
of course what we did when faced with such outrageous hyperbole was what any self-respecting researchers would have done
Video examples
Are droids taking our...
Freeman Dyson is actually not hyperbole this is an accurate assessment of what's going on our digital art technologies are great gifts and we right now have the great good fortune to be living at a time when digital technology is flourishing when it is broadening and deepening and being becoming more
Video examples
Neil MacGregor: 2600...
by a victorious army that we've got. And it's written, as we'll see in due course, by very skilled P.R. consultants. So the hyperbole is not actually surprising. And what is the great king, the powerful king, the king of the four quarters of the world going to do?
Video examples
What will future jobs...
is not hyperbole at all. This is just a plain statement of the facts. We are in the middle of an astonishing period. Which brings up another great What could possibly go wrong in this new machine age? Right? Great, hang up, flourish, go home.
Video examples
Jacqueline Novogratz: A...
into safe, affordable community housing. Educational initiatives like DIL and The Citizen Foundation that are building schools across the country. It's not hyperbole to say that these civil society institutions and these social entrepreneurs
Video examples
Alison Jackson: A...
I was exploring, at the time, the hyperbole of icons -- and Diana and Marilyn -- and the importance of celebrity in our lives. How they wheedle their way into the collective psyche without us even knowing, and how that should happen.
Video examples
Andrew McAfee: Are...
is actually not hyperbole. This is an accurate assessment of what's going on. Our technologies are great gifts, and we, right now, have the great good fortune to be living at a time when digital technology is flourishing,
Video examples
Sheryl WuDunn: Our...
The cause of our time is the brutality that so many people face around the world because of their gender. So some of you may be thinking, "Gosh, that's hyperbole. She's exaggerating." Well, let me ask you this question.
Video examples
Dan Barber: A surprising...
And the problem with saying that, of course, is that you know, at this point it risks hyperbole really easily. And I'd like to make a metaphor, but I don't have one really. I was drinking this guy's Kool-Aid so much,
Video examples
What we learned from 5...
Of course what we did when faced with such outrageous hyperbole was what any self-respecting researchers would have done. We took a page out of XKCD,
Video examples
What we learned from 5...
of course what we did when faced with such outrageous hyperbole was what any self-respecting researchers would have done
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Sean Hannity
American Writer
Is the president purposefully using propaganda and hyperbole to garner the American public for support?
Quote examples
Wilson Cruz
American Actor
I don't think it's exaggeration or hyperbole to say that Pedro Zamora changed the world.
Quote examples
Adam Carolla
American Entertainer
Of course on air I use occasional hyperbole to tell a story.
Quote examples
Bill Moyers
American Journalist
Hyperbole was to Lyndon Johnson what oxygen is to life.
Quote examples
Ron Chernow
American Author
I'm a biographer; I can live with a little hyperbole.
Quote examples
John Legend
American Musician
I think writers are prone to hyperbole sometimes.
Quote examples
Billy Eichner
American Comedian
All that social media hyperbole is just so fake.
Quote examples
Eden Sher
American Actress
I live in a constant state of hyperbole.
Quote examples
Terry Gilliam
American Director
Hyperbole is something I'd better avoid.
Quote examples
Ty Burrell
American Actor
I'm prone to hyperbole.
Quote examples
Sean Hannity
American Writer
Is the president purposefully using propaganda and hyperbole to garner the American public for support?
Quote examples
Wilson Cruz
American Actor
I don't think it's exaggeration or hyperbole to say that Pedro Zamora changed the world.
Quote examples
Adam Carolla
American Entertainer
Of course on air I use occasional hyperbole to tell a story.
Quote examples
Bill Moyers
American Journalist
Hyperbole was to Lyndon Johnson what oxygen is to life.
Quote examples
Ron Chernow
American Author
I'm a biographer; I can live with a little hyperbole.
Quote examples
John Legend
American Musician
I think writers are prone to hyperbole sometimes.
Quote examples
Billy Eichner
American Comedian
All that social media hyperbole is just so fake.
Quote examples
Eden Sher
American Actress
I live in a constant state of hyperbole.
Quote examples
Terry Gilliam
American Director
Hyperbole is something I'd better avoid.
Quote examples
Ty Burrell
American Actor
I'm prone to hyperbole.
Example 1 of 10
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