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Is there a term for such a person?

Background:

Someone who is a pathological liar, an overt exaggerator. He would want to take center-stage, makes up stories to capture interest, and applies his stated qualities in positive as well as negative interactions.

Such a person, I believe borderlines personality disorder.

But can we summarize him in a word?

Some words that I looked up appear to have different connotations:

  • Exaggerator
  • braggart
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  • 2
    For some reason, the first word that comes to mind is politician Oct 15, 2014 at 20:12
  • Fantasist.....?
    – WS2
    Oct 15, 2014 at 20:13
  • Try topper. (More seriously: blowhard).
    – Dan Bron
    Oct 15, 2014 at 20:20
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    A "fabulist" or a "confabulator".
    – Hot Licks
    Oct 15, 2014 at 20:55
  • 1
    "prevaricator!", "Sociopath!"
    – Mitch
    Oct 15, 2014 at 21:56

3 Answers 3

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mythomaniac

mythomania (Psychiatry) the tendency to lie, exaggerate, or relate incredible imaginary adventures as if they had really happened, occurring in some mental disorders

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mythomaniac

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As @ermanen points out, the one-word that matches your description would be :

Mythomane , noun, meaning- a person with a strong or irresistible propensity for fantasizing, lying, or exaggerating.

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I usually call such people blowhards.

From ODO:

blowhard: A person who blusters and boasts in an unpleasant way

From Macmillan:

blowhard: someone who talks too much about themselves or the things they have achieved

From Vocabulary.com:

blowhard

A blowhard is someone who always brags or boasts about himself. If you get stuck sitting next to your blowhard cousin at the family holiday dinner, you may wish he didn't think he was quite so amazing.

Blowhard is an informal word describing someone who can't stop talking about themselves or their accomplishments, real or imagined. You might know a blowhard at school, at work, or even in your family. And usually everyone knows at least one blowhard sports fan, who during the game can't stop talking about the unprecedented greatness of his favorite team or player.

Alternatives include braggart, windbag, and topper:

Dilbert comic of "The Topper"

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    Blowhard does not imply liar, especially pathological liar.
    – Drew
    Oct 16, 2014 at 2:27
  • @Drew see third cite: "Someone who can't stop talking about their accomplishments, real or imagined".
    – Dan Bron
    Oct 16, 2014 at 8:05
  • 1. "3rd cite" does not characterize the question as a whole. 2. Bragging about one's imagined accomplishments does not make one a liar. (Yes, it means that something the person says is an untruth, but saying untruths now and then does not make someone a liar.)
    – Drew
    Oct 16, 2014 at 14:33

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