as in to exaggerate
disapproving
to describe or show something in a way that makes it seem more shocking than it really is
Journalists should report the news accurately without trying to sensationalize it.
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Recent Examples of sensationalize
This refusal to sensationalize marks a departure from many books and movies with trauma plots.
—
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 29 June 2025
Director: Gianna Toboni Screenwriters: Gianna Toboni, Jacqueline Toboni, Samantha Wender
1 hour 33 minutes
But these aesthetic choices never sensationalize the realities of these participants, instead underscoring the harrowing stakes of their experiences.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
In this stage, early adopters have started implementing the technology, and media coverage often sensationalizes its potential.
—Karl Moore, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Without social media, television or telephones of any kind, Willig illustrates how this trial became sensationalized and angry crowds swayed public opinion — the 19th-century version of canceling.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensationalize
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 29 June 2025
Director: Gianna Toboni Screenwriters: Gianna Toboni, Jacqueline Toboni, Samantha Wender
1 hour 33 minutes
But these aesthetic choices never sensationalize the realities of these participants, instead underscoring the harrowing stakes of their experiences.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
In this stage, early adopters have started implementing the technology, and media coverage often sensationalizes its potential.
—Karl Moore, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Without social media, television or telephones of any kind, Willig illustrates how this trial became sensationalized and angry crowds swayed public opinion — the 19th-century version of canceling.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensationalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sensationalize
exaggerate
Verb
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This is one of many lawsuits against Tesla that question the safety of the company's driver-assistance systems, and accuse the company of exaggerating their capabilities.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
14 July 2025
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Defenders of the current administration highlight economic policies and argue that media narratives exaggerate constitutional threats while underestimating policy achievements in areas like deregulation and fiscal restraint[1][5].—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sensationalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sensationalize. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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