understatement
noun
un·der·state·ment
ˌən-dər-ˈstāt-mənt 
plural understatements
1
: a statement that represents something as smaller or less intense, or less important than it really is : a statement that understates something
To say that I was surprised by this outcome would be an understatement. I was completely blindsided ….—
Russ Becker
Russ BeckerIt is an understatement to say that the Internet has made life far more convenient for staggeringly many people.—Cass R. Sunstein
Cass R. Sunstein
also
: the act of understating something or the practice of making such statements
understatement of population growth
To say Britain isn't good at coping with snow would be to exercise British understatement. —Catherine Mayer
Catherine Mayer We have been taught to value terseness and understatement … —Irving Howe
Irving Howe 2
: the avoidance of obvious emphasis or embellishment : an understated condition, appearance, etc.
Sure, glamour is still the operative word regarding fashion, but where flamboyance once ruled, there is now understatement and classic elegance.—Premiere
PremiereHe capitalizes on his reputation for understatement by saving huge sonorities for significant occasions; as a result, his rare musical outbursts seem not so much theatrical as visceral, as if they were blows sustained in real time.—Alex Ross
Alex RossExamples of understatement in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To call the Detroit Tigers' season an emotional roller coaster would probably be an understatement.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
That’s an understatement, as the Heat ran one of the NBA’s fastest teams out of the building Friday night.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
To say that the product was a success would be an understatement.
—Otto Rabe, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2025
Calling the quarterback matchup lopsided is probably an understatement.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for understatement
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Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
That’s an understatement, as the Heat ran one of the NBA’s fastest teams out of the building Friday night.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
To say that the product was a success would be an understatement.
—Otto Rabe, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2025
Calling the quarterback matchup lopsided is probably an understatement.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for understatement
Cite this Entry
“Understatement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/understatement. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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