understatement
noun
un·der·state·ment
ˌən-dər-ˈstāt-mənt 
plural understatements
1
: a statement that represents something as smaller or less intense, or less important than it really is : a statement that understates something
To say that I was surprised by this outcome would be an understatement. I was completely blindsided ….—
Russ Becker
Russ BeckerIt is an understatement to say that the Internet has made life far more convenient for staggeringly many people.—Cass R. Sunstein
Cass R. Sunstein
also
: the act of understating something or the practice of making such statements
understatement of population growth
To say Britain isn't good at coping with snow would be to exercise British understatement. —Catherine Mayer
Catherine Mayer We have been taught to value terseness and understatement … —Irving Howe
Irving Howe 2
: the avoidance of obvious emphasis or embellishment : an understated condition, appearance, etc.
Sure, glamour is still the operative word regarding fashion, but where flamboyance once ruled, there is now understatement and classic elegance.—Premiere
PremiereHe capitalizes on his reputation for understatement by saving huge sonorities for significant occasions; as a result, his rare musical outbursts seem not so much theatrical as visceral, as if they were blows sustained in real time.—Alex Ross
Alex RossExamples of understatement in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To say Leeds United were playing with Cardiff City is the understatement of the season.
—Beren Cross, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
Going through it was an understatement for a group of fans that was spotted at American Airlines Center in Dallas hosting a funeral, or perhaps a protest, after one of the most shocking trades in professional sports history.
—Scott Thompson, Fox News, 3 Feb. 2025
To say that Joseph and his seven credited co-writers have little interest in genre constraints or conventional narrative storytelling is an understatement.
—Beandrea July, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025
To say this is sorely needed is a tremendous understatement.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for understatement 
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Beren Cross, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
Going through it was an understatement for a group of fans that was spotted at American Airlines Center in Dallas hosting a funeral, or perhaps a protest, after one of the most shocking trades in professional sports history.
—Scott Thompson, Fox News, 3 Feb. 2025
To say that Joseph and his seven credited co-writers have little interest in genre constraints or conventional narrative storytelling is an understatement.
—Beandrea July, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025
To say this is sorely needed is a tremendous understatement.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for understatement
Dictionary Entries Near understatement
Cite this Entry
“Understatement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/understatement. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
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