hyperbole — deliberate and obvious exaggeration used for effect
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: deliberate and obvious exaggeration used for effect
Pronunciation (IPA): /haɪˈpɜːrbəli/
Example Sentences
- When Mom said she'd waited 'a million years' for me to clean my room, it was obvious hyperbole.
- The politician's claim that his opponent would 'destroy civilization' was dismissed as hyperbole.
- His hyperbolic statement that the coffee was 'hot enough to melt steel' made everyone laugh.
hyperbole
NOUN[/haɪˈpɜːrbəli/]
deliberate and obvious exaggeration used for effect
He used hyperbole, saying his backpack weighed a thousand tons.
His hyperbole about monopoly breeds melancholy!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Greek hyperbole, meaning 'excess' or 'overshooting,' derived from hyper- (over) and ballein (to throw). The term was used in rhetoric to describe exaggeration that goes beyond the target.
Breakdown
hyper- (over/beyond) + -bole (from ballein, to throw) = hyperbole (throwing beyond the mark)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“When Mom said she'd waited 'a million years' for me to clean my room, it was obvious hyperbole.”
“The politician's claim that his opponent would 'destroy civilization' was dismissed as hyperbole.”
“His hyperbolic statement that the coffee was 'hot enough to melt steel' made everyone laugh.”
“Literary critics often debate whether Shakespeare's love sonnets contain genuine emotion or mere hyperbole.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.