Exaggeration is the representation of something as more extreme or dramatic than it is, intentionally or unintentionally. It can be a rhetorical device or figure of speech, used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression.
Amplifying achievements, obstacles and problems to seek attention is an everyday occurrence Inflating the difficulty of achieving a goal after attaining it, can be used to bolster self-esteem.
Farce is a form of comedy that relies on exaggerated, improbable, or ridiculous situations to entertain an audience. It is typically marked by physical humor, absurdity, satire or parody, improbable scenarios, misunderstandings, and broadly stylized characters and performances.
Hyperbole (/haɪˈpɜːrbəli/ ; adj. hyperbolic /ˌhaɪpərˈbɒlɪk/ ) is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. In rhetoric, it is also sometimes known as auxesis (literally 'growth'). In poetry and oratory, it emphasizes, evokes strong feelings, and creates strong impressions. As a figure of speech, it is usually not meant to be taken literally.
Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of exposing or shaming the perceived flaws of individuals, corporations, government, or society itself into improvement. Although satire is usually meant to be humorous, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit to draw attention to both particular and wider issues in society. Satire may also poke fun at popular themes in art and film.A prominent feature of satire is strong irony or sarcasm—"in satire, irony is militant", according to literary critic Northrop Frye— but parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing. This "militant" irony or sarcasm often professes to approve of (or at least accept as natural) the very things the satirist wishes to question.
Satire is found in many artistic forms of expression, including internet memes, literature, plays, commentary, music, film and television shows, and media such as lyrics.
A tall tale is a story with unbelievable elements, related as if it were true and factual. Some tall tales are exaggerations of actual events, for example fish stories ("the fish that got away") such as, "That fish was so big, why I tell ya', it nearly sank the boat when I pulled it in!" Other tall tales are completely fictional tales set in a familiar setting, such as the European countryside, the American frontier, the Canadian Northwest, the Australian outback, or the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
Events are often told in a way that makes the narrator seem to have been a part of the story; the tone is generally good-natured. Legends are differentiated from tall tales primarily by age; many legends exaggerate the exploits of their heroes, but in tall tales the exaggeration looms large, to the extent of dominating the story.
A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, and can serve a political purpose, be drawn solely for entertainment, or for a combination of both. Caricatures of politicians are commonly used in newspapers and news magazines as political cartoons, while caricatures of movie stars are often found in entertainment magazines. In literature, a caricature is a distorted representation of a person in a way that exaggerates some characteristics and oversimplifies others.
When referring to human behavior, the word mannerism has two primary senses; in its first sense, it is used to refer to a habitual behavior peculiar to a particular individual. In particular, the term refers to affected or exaggerated speech or actions. Often these mannerisms are subtle and subconscious. They may be expressed in body language, manner of speech, tone of voice, etc. Examples of mannerisms in this sense are twirling one's hair, tapping one's fingers, or making particular facial expressions. Sometimes they are signs of particular emotional states; for example, a person who is anxious may start walking back and forth. Some mannerisms of a person may be indicative of an attempt to call attention to themselves.
The term is also used in psychopathology, referring to forms of ritualistic behavior that become pathologically exaggerated, interfering with goal-directed activities. Mannerisms of this kind can manifest as repetitive gestures, facial expressions, vocalizations, or any number of other types of behavior. They are associated with both neurological and psychiatric disorders, with schizophrenic mannerisms in particular being the subject of some sparse systematic research. They should be distinguished from tics: the former are fluidly integrated into person's behavior, while tics are sudden, repetitive, and abrupt.