: of, relating to, or marked by language that exaggerates or overstates the truth : of, relating to, or marked by hyperbole
hyperbolic claims

hyperbolic

2 of 2

adjective (2)

1
geometry : of, relating to, or being like a curve that is formed by the intersection of a double right circular cone with a plane that cuts both halves of the cone : of, relating to, or being analogous to a hyperbola
2
: of, relating to, or being a space in which more than one line parallel to a given line passes through a point
hyperbolic geometry

Examples of hyperbolic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
At the time, the project felt hyperbolic, largely because of the finger-wagging interventions of Zillah, a modern-day punk anarchist who ranted about Reagan as a new Hitler. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026 As always, Howerton is the cast MVP, with his elastic, expressive face selling all of probable-serial killer Dennis’s most hyperbolic reactions. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026 Even if Spoelstra’s comments skewed a bit hyperbolic, Antetokounmpo put on quite a show in his preseason debut with the Heat. — Eric Nehm, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Change this to a charity advertisement, and you get bombarded with hyperbolic sadness, the old people’s tears, their loneliness. — Alicja Turczyk, The Dial, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hyperbolic

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

see hyperbole

Adjective (2)

see hyperbole

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

1676, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hyperbolic was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hyperbolic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyperbolic. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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