as in to minimize
to say that (something) is smaller, less important, etc., than it really is
He understated his taxable income. She's trying to understate the issue/problem.
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Recent Examples of understate
Its brilliance cannot be understated.
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Critics of Mamdani accuse him of downplaying the complexities of the city’s vast dispatch system while understating the number of calls that require a police response.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
That may understate the value of capital gains for the wealthy.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Having something that syncs immediately with your phone can’t be understated.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for understate
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Critics of Mamdani accuse him of downplaying the complexities of the city’s vast dispatch system while understating the number of calls that require a police response.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
That may understate the value of capital gains for the wealthy.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Having something that syncs immediately with your phone can’t be understated.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for understate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understate
Verb
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There is a commitment to that philosophy, even as there is a determination to minimize bad outcomes as much as is humanly possible.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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By generating electricity from fuel during flight and switching to a quieter electric mode when required, the system allows smaller drones to extend their operational range while minimizing noise and thermal signatures.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sometimes the functional sibling learns to compensate or cover for the dysfunctional one, to underplay strengths or wear a mask.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Others say such comments underplay the consequences of the oil blockade.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Johnson dismissed the criticism.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Red flags worth walking away from include dismissing symptoms without investigation, attributing everything to stress or anxiety, discouraging second opinions and making patients feel rushed.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In France, following the G7 meeting on Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio downplayed the cooperation between Iran and Russia.—
Margaret Brennan,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Saylor, the co-founder and executive chairman of the company, downplayed the concentration risk, saying overall liquidity and decentralization limit the impact of any single holder.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Understate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understate. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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