--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To exaggerate is to weaken." description: "\"To exaggerate is to weaken.\" — Jean-Francois de La Harpe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/jean-francois-de-la-harpe-5087_exaggerate_to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken-2048542_2048542.png" --- # To exaggerate is to weaken. ![“To exaggerate is to weaken.” quote by Jean-Francois de La Harpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/jean-francois-de-la-harpe-5087_exaggerate_to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken-2048542_2048542.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/jean-francois-de-la-harpe-5087_exaggerate_to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken-2048542_2048542.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/jean-francois-de-la-harpe-5087_exaggerate_to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken-2048542_2048542.png) > “To exaggerate is to weaken.” [Jean-Francois de La Harpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Exaggeration dilutes the strength of an argument. **In simple terms:** Exaggeration weakens arguments. Key Takeaway Stay precise and concise. Themes communication clarity argumentation truth integrity Mood analytical educational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - public speaking - writing - debate Key Concepts rhetoric logic critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - When is emphasis necessary? - How to balance impact with accuracy? 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It is a matter of great importance to forego superlatives, in part to avoid offending the truth, and in part to avoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/never-exaggerate-it-is-a-matter-of-great-importance-to-forego/) [Baltasar Gracián](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [It is human to exaggerate the merits of the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-human-to-exaggerate-the-merits-of-the-dead/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [There is no one who does not exaggerate!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-no-one-who-does-not-exaggerate/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [All the exaggerations are right, if they exaggerate the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-the-exaggerations-are-right-if-they-exaggerate-the-right-thing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If a spectacle is going to be particularly imposing I prefer to see it through somebody else's eyes, because that man will always exaggerate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-a-spectacle-is-going-to-be-particularly-imposing-i-prefer-to-see/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Why didn't you tell us you were the Alexander Black who can stand atop a cantering horse and shoot a hole through a plum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/why-didn-t-you-tell-us-you-were-the-alexander-black-who-can-stand/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [I think it's very funny that someone would exaggerate to make himself look worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leavitt/i-think-it-s-very-funny-that-someone-would-exaggerate-to-make-himself/) [David Leavitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leavitt/) > [He who cannot exaggerate is not qualified to utter truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/he-who-cannot-exaggerate-is-not-qualified-to-utter-truth/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I tend to basically exaggerate in life, and in writing, it's fine to exaggerate. I really enjoy overstating for the purpose of getting a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/i-tend-to-basically-exaggerate-in-life-and-in-writing-it-s-fine-to/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [What happens, I think, is especially for comic effect you find something about yourself that you don't like. You exaggerate it, and it's funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-knight/what-happens-i-think-is-especially-for-comic-effect-you-find/) [Wayne Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-knight/) > [It is the essence of truth that it is never excessive. Why should it exaggerate? There is that which should be destroyed and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/it-is-the-essence-of-truth-that-it-is-never-excessive-why-should-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“If you use the term 'over-exaggerate,' you know the definition neither of 'exaggerate' nor of 'over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-ulyate/if-you-use-the-term-over-exaggerate-you-know-the-definition-neither/) [Rodney Ulyate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-ulyate/) > [“Maybe that's what writers do- Maybe they exaggerate pain just so that you feel okay about what you're feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/maybe-that-s-what-writers-do-maybe-they-exaggerate-pain-just-so-that/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) ## More by Jean-Francois de La Harpe > [We weaken what we exaggerate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/we-weaken-what-we-exaggerate/) [Jean-Francois de La Harpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/) > [We always weaken whatever we exaggerate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/we-always-weaken-whatever-we-exaggerate/) [Jean-Francois de La Harpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/) > [We never forget those who make us blush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/we-never-forget-those-who-make-us-blush/) [Jean-Francois de La Harpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/) > [Our self-love can be resigned to the sacrifice of everything but itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/our-self-love-can-be-resigned-to-the-sacrifice-of-everything-but/) [Jean-Francois de La Harpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/) > [To teach successfully we must tell all we know, but only what is adaptable to the student.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/to-teach-successfully-we-must-tell-all-we-know-but-only-what-is/) [Jean-Francois de La Harpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/) > [Superstition changes a man to a beast, fanaticism makes him a wild beast, and despotism a beast of burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/superstition-changes-a-man-to-a-beast-fanaticism-makes-him-a-wild/) [Jean-Francois de La Harpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/) [Explore all 7 Jean-Francois de La Harpe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/) ## More Exaggerate quotes > [People exaggerate the value of things they haven't got everybody worships truth and unselfishness because they have no experience with them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/people-exaggerate-the-value-of-things-they-haven-t-got-everybody/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [I don't exaggerate - I just remember big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-chi-rodriguez/i-don-t-exaggerate-i-just-remember-big/) [Chi Chi Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-chi-rodriguez/) > [We can exaggerate about many things; but we can never exaggerate our obligation to Jesus, or the compassionate abundance of the love of Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-faber/we-can-exaggerate-about-many-things-but-we-can-never-exaggerate-our/) [Frederick William Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-faber/) > [It's nonsense to say money doesn't buy happiness, but people exaggerate the extent to which more money can buy more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/it-s-nonsense-to-say-money-doesn-t-buy-happiness-but-people/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [All losers exaggerate because they want you to know how bad they feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-caro/all-losers-exaggerate-because-they-want-you-to-know-how-bad-they-feel/) [Mike Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-caro/) > [People in life, when they have a tendency to exaggerate or lie or whatever, you always sort of notice that their voice goes up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/people-in-life-when-they-have-a-tendency-to-exaggerate-or-lie-or/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [It has something to do with the facts and the law and who the judges are. So I think lawyers sometimes exaggerate their role…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-abrams/it-has-something-to-do-with-the-facts-and-the-law-and-who-the-judges/) [Floyd Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-abrams/) > [We weaken what we exaggerate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/we-weaken-what-we-exaggerate/) [Jean-Francois de La Harpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/) > [“If you use the term 'over-exaggerate,' you know the definition neither of 'exaggerate' nor of 'over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-ulyate/if-you-use-the-term-over-exaggerate-you-know-the-definition-neither/) [Rodney Ulyate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-ulyate/) > [Do I exaggerate? Boy, do I, and I'd do it more if I could get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/do-i-exaggerate-boy-do-i-and-i-d-do-it-more-if-i-could-get-away-with/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [My name is Bruce Feiler, and I'm an explainaholic. I first heard this word used to describe Isaac Asimov, and I knew instantly that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/my-name-is-bruce-feiler-and-i-m-an-explainaholic-i-first-heard-this/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [my good qualities are under your protection, and you are to exaggerate them as much as possible; and, in return, it belongs to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/my-good-qualities-are-under-your-protection-and-you-are-to-exaggerate/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [I exaggerate when I’m angry, but I’ve never gone around telling people things that aren’t true about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-exaggerate-when-i-m-angry-but-i-ve-never-gone-around-telling-people/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [One of the things that I'm realizing is that in voice-over work, you have to actually do more work with your facial muscles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-valley/one-of-the-things-that-i-m-realizing-is-that-in-voice-over-work-you/) [Mark Valley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-valley/) > [I don't think most men do hate women at all - I think most men are trying their best and facing a culturation into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/i-don-t-think-most-men-do-hate-women-at-all-i-think-most-men-are/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) Browse all 102 Exaggerate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To exaggerate is to weaken.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean-Francois de La Harpe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Exaggerate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/jean-francois-de-la-harpe-5087_exaggerate_to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken-2048542_2048542.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/jean-francois-de-la-harpe-5087_exaggerate_to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken-2048542_2048542.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/jean-francois-de-la-harpe-5087_exaggerate_to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken-2048542_2048542.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To exaggerate is to weaken.” — Jean-Francois de La Harpe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jean-Francois de La Harpe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To exaggerate is to weaken.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-de-la-harpe/to-exaggerate-is-to-weaken/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```