understatement

Definition of understatementnext

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 understatement Her voice continues to echo in Norah Jones’s breathy understatement, Tracy Chapman’s acoustic urgency and the way Alicia Keys attaches grandeur to a single piano chord. New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026 To say the special relationship is going through a rough patch ahead of King Charles III’s visit would be an exercise in British understatement. Ellen Milligan, Bloomberg, 26 Apr. 2026 To say both programs, but even more so both fan bases, want revenge against their former coach would be quite the understatement. Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026 That might be an understatement. Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for understatement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understatement
Noun
  • According to the study, THC interferes with meiosis, the cell division process crucial for producing healthy eggs.
    Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
  • In meiosis, a cell also divides into two halves, but these halves each have 23 chromosomes.
    Krissi Danielsson, Parents, 30 July 2024
Noun
  • With the world facing profound suffering and division, moral voices calling for peace, restraint and sanctity of human life deserve to be protected and amplified, not condemned.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Initially, the couple was arrested on charges of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree unlawful restraint, intentional cruelty to persons, risk of injury to a minor and conspiracy to commit risk of injury to a minor.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The contract contained a non-disparagement clause, and in law, the special thing about disparagement is that unlike defamation, the truth is not a defense against disparagement.
    Marlow Stern, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
  • And the Times Magazine suggested the idea of discovering a similar past disparagement clause to the one that plagued HBO might dissuade any network from tackling a future Jackson project.
    Steve Knopper, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Despite the severity of the South Carolina outbreak, Edwards considers the public health response a success.
    Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The actual severity of any shortcomings at OpenAI and how far any weaknesses could spread remain open questions, Yardeni said.
    Rob Wile, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Just a reminder that greatness and modesty can go hand in hand.
    Jayson Stark, New York Times, 1 May 2026
  • Democratic politics thrive when leaders and followers act with modesty and humility, when no one sees themselves as infallible or indispensable.
    Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • But like most good things, it's best consumed in moderation.
    Gavin Escott, USA Today, 1 May 2026
  • However, dark chocolate is high in sugar and calories, so it should be eaten in moderation as an occasional treat.
    Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • This was the most straightforward, efficient episode of the season, pleasurable in its simplicity, with only one gimmick (the to-go orders) that barely made a difference to the episode’s outcome.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026
  • That simplicity is an advantage that baseball has over hockey, where everything moves so much faster and the plays don’t happen in discrete chunks.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The through-line across all of it – the music, the acting, the international stages – is a pair of principles Lo articulates with plainness.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Maybe that’s because the interiors have a certain plainness — one that’s accurate to Georgian classicism but boring to Hollywood hotshots.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Understatement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understatement. Accessed 7 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on understatement

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster