melodramatize
verb
melo·dra·ma·tize ˌme-lə-ˈdra-mə-ˌtīz 
-ˈdrä-
melodramatized; melodramatizing; melodramatizes
transitive verb
1
: to make melodramatic
melodramatize a situation
2
: to make a melodrama of (something, such as a novel)
melodramatization
ˌme-lə-ˌdra-mə-tə-ˈzā-shən
noun -ˌdrä-
Word History
First Known Use
1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1
melodramatizing
verb
as in putting on
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- putting on
- playing up
- overemphasizing
- overdoing
- exaggerating
- overplaying
- sensationalizing
- padding
- embellishing
- overstating
- elaborating
- overdrawing
- embroidering
- coloring
- stretching
- hedging
- magnifying
- fudging
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- minimizing
- belittling
- playing down
- understating