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
Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 27 May 2026
Her style can seem simple and understated on paper or on a screen, but in person, the portraits are colossal, sometimes up to 10 feet tall.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 24 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
Rae says a milky white or soft ivory shade brightens the overall appearance of the foot, while still feeling understated.
—Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 27 May 2026
Her style can seem simple and understated on paper or on a screen, but in person, the portraits are colossal, sometimes up to 10 feet tall.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for understated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understated
Adjective
-
Other makeup elements, provided by artist Alex Babsky, included bold brows and lined eyes with a muted rosy lip.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
-
Being in place at moonrise is important because seeing a muted orange moon rising over a landscape is a far more special sight than a big, bright orb high up in a black sky.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Mental health conditions of a deeper nature are minimized in terms of focus.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
-
The neoliberal paradigm treats capital efficiency as the supreme social good and worker compensation as simply a cost to be minimized.—
Nick Hanauer,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
February 19 – March 20 Home becomes a source of quiet power and your space may tell you what your mind has been avoiding.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
26 May 2026
-
The stunned crowd at Nu Stadium got quiet, even as La Familia kept singing and jumping up and down.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
But the mood in the room at Citi’s Tribeca headquarters was more subdued than expected.—
Claire Zillman,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Hassett dismissed Chapman's assessment, insisting that there is enough inventory.—
Ford McCracken,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
-
When he’s dismissed from his SETI job, a huge cover-up ensues.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Flowering woody shrubs that bloom on new wood tolerate or thrive on fairly aggressive pruning, while those that bloom on old wood require more careful, restrained pruning.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
29 May 2026
-
Even out of context, the first meeting at the train station of Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard is ineffably moving, a model of restrained desire.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Asked about arms sales to Taiwan, Hegseth downplayed concerns that a multi-billion-dollar package could be affected as the United States draws down its weapons stockpiles amid the Middle East conflict.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
-
The president has pressured the Fed to cut rates, while Warsh has recently downplayed the significance and accuracy of the PCE gauge.—
D. Brian Blank,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
In 2015, Lynette was arrested on charges of assault and battery/simple assault.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
28 May 2026
-
When Stagg’s calculations lead him to conclude that an almighty storm is set to break on June 5, 1944 — the day originally earmarked for the Normandy landings — after a long period of balmy calm, potentially scuppering the entire vast project, his simple but urgent advice is to wait a day.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Understated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understated. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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