Basic Details
Word: Exaggeration
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: An act of making something seem larger, better, or more important than it really is.
Synonyms: Overstatement, amplification
Antonyms: Understatement
Idioms and Phrases
- To make a mountain out of a molehill: To exaggerate a small problem as if it were a big one. Example: "When she lost her pencil, she made a mountain out of a molehill, saying it ruined her entire day."
- Blow things out of proportion: To exaggerate the importance or severity of something. Example: "He tends to blow things out of proportion; a small mistake at work became a disaster in his story."
Usage Examples
Example 1: His tales of fishing were full of exaggeration; he claimed to have caught a fish as big as a car!
Example 2: The advertisement was full of exaggeration, promising results that seemed too good to be true.
Example 3: She uses exaggeration in her storytelling to make it more entertaining for her friends.
Fun Fact
Did you know that the word "exaggeration" comes from the Latin word "exaggerare," which means "to heap up or increase"? This reflects how the meaning of the term relates to making something seem larger than it really is.
Famous Quote
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple." Oscar Wilde
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "exaggeration" mean?
a) Telling the truth
b) Making something seem bigger than it is
c) A simple statement
d) A type of animal
Answer: b) Making something seem bigger than it is
2. Which of these is a synonym of "exaggeration"?
a) Understatement
b) Overstatement
c) Silence
d) Agreement
Answer: b) Overstatement
3. What is an antonym of "exaggeration"?
a) Amplification
b) Understatement
c) Overstatement
d) Flattery
Answer: b) Understatement
4. Which sentence uses "exaggeration" correctly?
a) My brother tells fabulous tales without any exaggeration.
b) An exaggeration can make a story more shallow.
c) His exaggeration of the event made it sound very exciting.
d) The pizza was an exaggeration of an apple.
Answer: c) His exaggeration of the event made it sound very exciting.
5. Which idiom indicates making a problem seem larger than it is?
a) To make a mountain out of a molehill
b) To bite the bullet
c) To let the cat out of the bag
d) To kill two birds with one stone
Answer: a) To make a mountain out of a molehill
