WordValeunderstatement
deliberately presenting something as less than it is
In more detail
1. (noun) a statement that represents something as less important, serious, or bad than it actually is
2. (noun) the practice or style of describing things in a restrained way without exaggeration
Examples
- 1. Saying the hurricane caused "some damage" is a huge understatement when entire neighborhoods were destroyed.
- 2. British humor often relies on understatement rather than loud jokes.
How to use understatement
Understatement is used to describe either a single downplayed remark or a consistent stylistic choice to speak with restraint. It often appears in discussions of humor, irony, and communication style, particularly in British English where it is valued as a form of wit. The term can be neutral or slightly appreciative, unlike 'downplaying' which may carry connotation of dishonesty.
Common phrases
- gross understatement
- mild understatement
- deliberate understatement
- master of understatement
- it's an understatement to say
- classic understatement
Synonyms
downplaying · minimization · belittlement · muting · restraint
Opposites
exaggeration · overstatement · hyperbole
Word family
understate (verb) · understated (adjective) · understatedly (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse understatement with lying or deliberate deception, but it is primarily a rhetorical or stylistic technique that can be used honestly—saying 'that was difficult' when something was extremely hard is still truthful understatement.
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