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
Opponents argue that xAI understated the amount of pollution that will be emitted by its turbines in its permit application, with particular concerns around smog-forming nitrogen oxides and other pollutants that can be harmful to human health, including formaldehyde and airborne particulate matter.
—
Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Looking into his dozen-year legacy in Tampa Bay, gaudy statistics and specifically his scoring knack can’t be understated.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
While the design is understated, the setting more than delivers.
—Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026
The energy that Ekeler brings to practices can’t be understated, either.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for understate
Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Looking into his dozen-year legacy in Tampa Bay, gaudy statistics and specifically his scoring knack can’t be understated.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
While the design is understated, the setting more than delivers.
—Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026
The energy that Ekeler brings to practices can’t be understated, either.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for understate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understate
Verb
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Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
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By minimizing these internal losses, the motor can maintain higher efficiency across a wide range of operating conditions.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, testimony also revealed text messages and emails between Gray and his supervisors that prosecutors say appeared to underplay the severity of the incident on the day of the shooting.—
Skyler Henry,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
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Compared to our lab results, most of these certificates severely underplayed the amount of delta-9 THC in the product.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In its Thursday decision dismissing the case, the military's top legal officers said the charges against the soldiers were being dropped because the video did not show abuse violent enough to merit a criminal conviction and had been improperly leaked to the media.—
JULIA FRANKEL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
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Room for Disagreement Azizi has dismissed concerns that his close relationships with regional leaders could pave the way for government interference.—
Vivianne Wandera,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fernandez also downplayed his team being in South Florida for most of the week.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
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Yet the handpicked chair of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has downplayed the importance of the vaccine for measles, as well as for polio and other highly contagious, deadly diseases.—
Jerome Adams,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Understate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understate. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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