understate
verb
un·der·state
ˌən-dər-ˈstāt 
understated; understating; understates
1
: to represent as less than is the case
understate taxable income
2
: to state or present with restraint especially for effect
Examples of understate in a Sentence
He understated his taxable income.
She's trying to understate the issue.
Recent Examples on the Web
The tasting is intentionally understated.
—
John Wogan, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025
So the support that everyone here is giving to families and parents around the country should not be understated.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
Hynes’ stirring melodies sew together Essex Honey’s styles and collaborators—including Caroline Polachek, Tirzah, and cellist Mabe Fratti—into a profound and elegantly understated tapestry of elegy, memory, and surprise.
—Jenn Pelly, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Purdy is more casual and understated both in manner of dress and outward enthusiasm.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for understate
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John Wogan, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025
So the support that everyone here is giving to families and parents around the country should not be understated.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
Hynes’ stirring melodies sew together Essex Honey’s styles and collaborators—including Caroline Polachek, Tirzah, and cellist Mabe Fratti—into a profound and elegantly understated tapestry of elegy, memory, and surprise.
—Jenn Pelly, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Purdy is more casual and understated both in manner of dress and outward enthusiasm.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for understate
Cite this Entry
“Understate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/understate. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
understate
verb
un·der·state
ˌən-dər-ˈstāt
1
: to represent as less than is the case
understate taxable income
2
: to state mildly especially on purpose
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