General overstatement:
* Exaggerate: This is the most common and general term for overstating something.
* Hyperbolize: This refers to using extreme exaggeration for effect.
* Magnify: This emphasizes the size or importance of something, often beyond its actual scale.
* Inflate: This suggests making something seem bigger or more important than it actually is.
Distortion:
* Distort: This word implies a deliberate twisting or misrepresentation of the truth.
* Misrepresent: This refers to presenting something inaccurately, often with the intention to deceive.
* Twist: This suggests changing the meaning of something by altering the facts or context.
Other related words:
* Embellish: This implies adding details to make something more interesting or dramatic, often by exaggerating or inventing them.
* Fabricate: This refers to making up something completely false.
The best word to use depends on the specific context and the desired effect.