understatement

noun
UK: /ˌʌndəˈsteɪtmənt/
US: /ˌʌndərˈsteɪtmənt/

  1. A statement that describes something as less important, serious, or bad than it really is.

    1. To say he was surprised is an understatement, he was shocked.
    2. Saying the hurricane caused 'some damage' is a massive understatement considering the devastation.

  2. The act of downplaying or representing something in a weaker or less significant way than it actually is.

    1. Her description of the accident was an understatement of the actual horror.
    2. His comments about the company's financial problems were a gross understatement of the severity of the situation.

Synonyms

belittling euphemism

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "understatement" in English means: A statement that describes something as less important, serious, or bad than it really is., The act of downplaying or representing something in a weaker or less significant way than it actually is..

The phonetic transcription of "understatement" is /ˌʌndəˈsteɪtmənt/ in British English and /ˌʌndərˈsteɪtmənt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "understatement": belittling, euphemism.

Example usage of "understatement": "To say he was surprised is an understatement, he was shocked.". More examples on the page.