exagerar
1. to represent something as being greater, better, worse, or more important than it actually is
He tends to exaggerate the difficulty of his job.
Ele tende a exagerar a dificuldade do seu trabalho.
2. to enlarge or increase something beyond its normal or actual limits
The movie exaggerated the historical events for dramatic effect.
O filme exagerou os eventos históricos para efeito dramático.
3. to overstate or overemphasize something
Don't exaggerate your accomplishments on your resume.
Não exagere em suas realizações no currículo.
In Brazilian culture, exaggeration is often used in storytelling and casual conversation as a form of entertainment and expressiveness. Americans tend to be more direct and may view exaggeration negatively in professional or formal contexts. The word 'exagerar' is extremely common in Brazilian Portuguese and is used frequently in daily speech, often with a tone of humor or jest.
NYC Slang
cap (as in 'no cap' - don't exaggerate), hype, gas someone up
Related Idioms & Phrases
to cry wolf - to exaggerate danger or problems repeatedly
to make a mountain out of a molehill - to exaggerate the importance of something minor
to lay it on thick - to exaggerate for effect
contar vantagem - Brazilian idiom meaning to brag or exaggerate one's achievements
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