overstate

Compared meaning: to make something sound bigger than it is (verb).

比较义项：把事情说得比实际更严重、更重要（动词）。

• exaggerate

  The most general, everyday word for this idea; used for stories, achievements, feelings, or claims, often to sound more exciting or dramatic. Neutral register, common in casual speech.

  这是最通用、最日常的说法，用于描述故事、成就、感受或说法，常常是为了让内容听起来更精彩或更夸张；语气中性，口语中很常见。

  Kids often exaggerate how scary the movie was just to sound brave.

  孩子们常常夸大电影有多吓人，只是为了显得自己很勇敢。

• magnify

  Suggests something real is made to seem bigger through an outside influence, such as stress or imagination, especially problems, fears, or effects; often used passively, as in “X is magnified by…”.

  强调某种真实存在的东西因外部因素（比如压力或想象）而显得更严重，常用于问题、恐惧或影响；常用被动语态，如「被……放大」。

  Being tired can magnify small annoyances into major arguments.

  疲惫会把小小的烦恼放大成严重的争吵。

• overstate 本词

  More formal and careful in tone; typically used about importance, risk, or significance, often in cautious or negative phrasing like “I don't want to overstate…” or “cannot overstate”.

  语气更正式、更谨慎，通常用于重要性、风险或意义，常出现在谨慎或否定的表达中，如「我不想夸大……」或「怎么强调都不为过」。

  I don't think we can overstate how important this decision is for the company.

  我认为这个决定对公司有多重要，怎么强调都不为过。

Exaggerate, magnify and overstate all mean making something sound bigger than it is. Exaggerate is common and casual, used for stories or feelings. Magnify means a real problem seems bigger, often because of stress. Overstate is more formal, usually about importance or risk.

这三个词在“夸大、夸张”这一义项上意思相近，但语气和用法略有不同：exaggerate 最口语化，magnify 强调把已有的问题或感受放大，overstate 更正式、常见于书面或谨慎的表达。这里不比较 magnify 表示“（透镜等）使物体看起来更大”的本义。