as in muted
not excessively showy
the actor's understated interpretation of the lead role is surprisingly compelling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in minimized
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.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of understated
Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Top it off with a leopard hat for understated elegance.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2025
The exterior design is understated and pleasant.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for understated
Adjective
Made with a silky-soft, stretchy material, this tee is designed with understated blanket stitching along the shoulders, adding an elevated touch to the classic style.
—Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Top it off with a leopard hat for understated elegance.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
The lemon-olive oil flavor is understated and beautifully balanced, with the slightest puckery hint of lemon rising above the rich, grassy olive oil.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2025
The exterior design is understated and pleasant.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for understated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understated
Adjective
-
Yet in reality, Knape explains, early color filmmaking methods didn’t do well with semi-clear substances like (pseudo)blood, or with muted colors.—
Mark Hay,
Popular Science,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Hudson’s strapless gown featured a muted sky blue tone with silver motifs throughout.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The prosecutor said Combs and his lawyers have minimized the violence tied to his conviction.—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Gonzalez, the former National Security Council official, said senior policymakers thought that embassy staff were showing favoritism to Bukele, sending reports that minimized the growing crisis of democracy in El Salvador.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Hours after the deal’s announcement, videos posted on social media by correspondents and Unicef spokesperson James Elder in Gaza showed a relatively quiet night sky, a rare occurrence in an enclave that has faced incessant bombardments for just over two years.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
-
When Venus journeys through Virgo, affection looks like cooking a meal for someone, fixing what’s broken or showing up in quiet, consistent ways.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Economists see an uptick in hiring, though still at a subdued level.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Eventually the euphoria of the moment started giving way to subdued appreciation.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Chiefs are back, just as quickly as they were dismissed, and that’s in more than ways than post-game one-liners exuding some confidence after a convincing 30-17 win against the red-hot Lions.—
Sam McDowell
October 13,
Kansas City Star,
13 Oct. 2025
-
And these cases may very well be dismissed on that basis.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That would include gun-violence restraining orders and domestic violence protective orders, which are among several kinds of orders that compel a restrained person to surrender firearms.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
-
This would make the policy more fiscally restrained but less universal.—
Christopher Robertson,
The Conversation,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Putin had earlier downplayed their effectiveness by saying Russian air defense would adapt to Tomahawk attacks and the long-range missiles wouldn’t influence what was happening on the battlefield.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Williams downplayed his injury after Saturday’s game.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
State authorities contacted the woman's legislator and the conservative blogger.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The case pits conservative Christians, who support the practice and say a ban would violate free speech, against the LGBTQ+ community.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Understated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understated. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share