exagerar
verbCEFR B2
What does “exagerar” mean in English?
to exaggerate, to overstate
to exaggerate, to overstate (sin exagerar = without overstating; media and argumentation registers)
Example sentences
Sin exagerar, puede decirse que esta es la reforma más importante de los últimos veinte años.
Without overstating it, this can be called the most important reform of the last twenty years.
Los medios de comunicación tienden a exagerar el peligro para captar la atención de la audiencia.
The media tends to exaggerate the danger to capture the audience's attention.
Reconozco que exageré un poco al describir la situación, pero en esencia el problema existe.
I acknowledge that I exaggerated somewhat when describing the situation, but essentially the problem exists.
How to use it
Exagerar means 'to exaggerate' or 'to overstate'. It can be transitive (exagerar el alcance — to exaggerate the extent) or intransitive (sin exagerar — without exaggerating). At B2 it appears in argumentation and media critique. Key phrase: sin exagerar (without exaggerating) is a common discourse marker. The noun is la exageración. Don't confuse with inflar (to inflate figures — often implies deliberate manipulation) or magnificar (to magnify — can be neutral). Exagerar can be used to critique others or to claim your own statement is moderate.
Common mistake
Exagerar (intransitive or transitive) does not require a direct object. Sin exagerar is a very common hedging formula — memorise it. Don't confuse the noun exageración with hipérbole (hyperbole — literary/rhetorical figure): exageración is the everyday word; hipérbole is the formal rhetorical term. Both may appear at B2 in media and debate contexts.