Final answer:
The term "hyperbolic" is the correct formal synonym for "exaggerated" that aligns with APA style writing and avoids colloquial language.
Step-by-step explanation:
The appropriate synonym for "exaggerated" that does not use a colloquial (informal) device and is suitable for APA style writing would be "hyperbolic" (Option C). The term hyperbolic refers to the use of hyperbole, which is a rhetorical device that involves exaggeration for effect. For instance, in William Wordsworth's poem "I wandered lonely as a cloud," the phrase "ten thousand saw I at a glance" employs hyperbole to express the vastness of the daffodils, without literally meaning the exact count of ten thousand.