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
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Recent Examples of understated
Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 27 May 2026
Late last month for example, Bieber styled the understated shoe with jeans and a white T-shirt for a casual yet polished outfit, similar to Zendaya’s look consisting of white airy pants and a black long-sleeve top.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026
Gil Mandelzis, Fortune, 27 May 2026
Whilst old quiet luxury was understated.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for understated
Adjective
The silhouette is relevant yet understated, coming together for a strong summertime statement.
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 27 May 2026
Late last month for example, Bieber styled the understated shoe with jeans and a white T-shirt for a casual yet polished outfit, similar to Zendaya’s look consisting of white airy pants and a black long-sleeve top.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026
Verb
For companies like that, the hype may actually be understated.
—Gil Mandelzis, Fortune, 27 May 2026
Whilst old quiet luxury was understated.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for understated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understated
Adjective
-
His trademark cool was sidelined by a more demonstrative style, closer to the theatrical sensibilities of 2Pac than the muted menace that once defined him.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
-
Breeding siblings The first step was to find a common bean plant with a muted In11 receptor.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Starry is propelled by my real and personal anger that these women’s contributions to the genre have been minimized or elided altogether.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
When speaking to Popcast, Levinson also defended the sexualization of the series, explained why some of the storylines ended up mirroring real life, and why some characters were minimized.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
This is quiet luxury in hotel form.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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And yet art-world institutions—including major museums, schools, commercial galleries, and publishing outlets—have mostly avoided the fawning capitulation of universities and Democrats, simply going quiet in the hope of escaping notice for the next three years.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Hotel Portsmouth’s rooms are bright and quirky, while the rooms at The Bow have a more serene and subdued ambience.—
Jacqueline Dole,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
-
After years dominated by the reliable little black dress and subdued minimalism, wedding guest attire is swinging loudly in the opposite direction.—
Lauren Fisher,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The novel was initially ignored, and then—after Graham Greene called it one of the best books of the year—dismissed, and then banned, first in the UK and then in France.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
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Resuming on 55-5 and requiring 254 for an unlikely win, New Zealand lost its remaining five wickets inside the first two hours of play and was dismissed for 138.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
When a court issues a domestic violence protective order, federal law prohibits the restrained person from possessing a gun.—
Sativa Banks,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
-
Though America’s founders, of course, did not always live up to these ideals themselves, this early reform shows us that American justice was meant to be resolute, principled, and restrained.—
Ana Zamora,
Time,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The president again downplayed the higher cost of oil on Friday.—
Arsalan Shahla,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
-
Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the loss but downplayed any worries about the team’s struggles after the game.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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The actor, 39, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of simple battery in a Louisiana criminal court Wednesday, June 3, according to records obtained by USA TODAY.—
Liza Esquibias,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
At the time, the New Orleans Police Department confirmed its officers charged LaBeouf with two counts of simple battery for allegedly assaulting two men near a bar in the French Quarter.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Understated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understated. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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