Hyperbole
noun /hʌɪˈpɜːbəli/ — Obvious exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.
Definition
A figure of speech involving exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis or dramatic effect — not intended to be taken literally, but to convey the intensity of feeling or the magnitude of something.
Beyond the definition
Hyperbole is the figure of passion — the extreme statement that communicates intensity rather than accuracy. 'I've told you a million times', 'I'm dying of thirst', 'this is the best meal I've ever eaten' — hyperbole is the language of the fully felt experience. The exaggeration is not a lie but a calibration of feeling.
Origin & history
From Greek hyperbole (excess), from hyper- (over) + ballein (to throw). The throw that goes over — exceeds the target by design. Used in rhetoric since antiquity as one of the figures of amplification.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Her hyperbole was so constant that her genuinely serious statements were sometimes missed.
'The most important election of our lifetimes' is the political hyperbole that appears in every election cycle.
He used hyperbole carefully — deployed rarely, it landed; overused, it lost its power.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Hyperbole” when the meaning fits your context: A figure of speech involving exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis or dramatic effect — not intended to be taken literally, but to convey the intensity of feeling or the magnitude of something.
Synonyms
exaggeration, overstatement, amplification
Antonyms
understatement, litotes, meiosis
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Hyperbole" mean?
Hyperbole is noun meaning: Obvious exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.. A figure of speech involving exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis or dramatic effect — not intended to be taken literally, but to convey the intensity of feeling or the magnitude of something.
Where does the word "Hyperbole" come from?
From Greek hyperbole (excess), from hyper- (over) + ballein (to throw). The throw that goes over — exceeds the target by design. Used in rhetoric since antiquity as one of the figures of amplification.