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understate

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understate

(ʌndəʳsteɪt)

Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense understates, present participle understating, past tense, past participle understated

verb

If you understate something, you describe it in a way that suggests that it is less important or serious than it really is.

The government chooses deliberately to understate the increase in prices. [VERB noun]

That understates my commitment to the orchestra. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: play down, diminish, minimize, downgrade More Synonyms of understate

understate in British English

(ˌʌndəˈsteɪt)

verb

to state (something) in restrained terms, often to obtain an ironic effect

to state that (something, such as a number) is less than it is

understate in American English

(ˌʌndərˈsteɪt)

verb transitiveWord forms: ˌunderˈstated or ˌunderˈstating

to make a weaker statement of than is warranted by truth, accuracy, or importance; state too weakly

to state, express, etc. in a style that is restrained and often makes use of irony or litotes

Derived forms

understatement (ˌunderˈstatement)

noun

Examples of 'understate' in a sentence
understate

Bleak façades, I thought, understated as only the very wealthy can understate them."It was always far more dramatic to understate things, especially for someone who'd smelled gunsmoke in his time.

In other languages
understate

British English: understate VERB

If you understate something, you describe it in a way that suggests that it is less important or serious than it really is.

The government chooses deliberately to understate the increase in prices.

American English: understate
Brazilian Portuguese: minimizar
Chinese: 不充分陈述
European Spanish: minimizar
French: minimiser
German: herunterspielen
Italian: minimizzare
Japanese: 実際より少なく言う
Korean: 실제보다 축소해 말하다
European Portuguese: minimizar
Latin American Spanish: minimizar

Chinese translation of 'understate'

understate

(ʌndəˈsteɪt)

vt

轻(輕)描淡写(寫) (qīng miáo dàn xiě)

(verb) in the sense of play down

Definition

to describe or portray something in restrained terms, often to obtain an ironic effect

The government chooses to understate the increase in prices.

Synonyms

play down

diminish

minimize

downgrade

talk down (informal)

sell short (informal)

soft-pedal (informal)

underemphasize

Opposites

exaggerate

overstate

talk up (informal)

Synonyms of 'understate'

understate

Explore 'understate' in the dictionary

单词	understate
释义	Trends of understate View usage for: understate (ʌndəʳsteɪt) Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense understates, present participle understating, past tense, past participle understated verb If you understate something, you describe it in a way that suggests that it is less important or serious than it really is. The government chooses deliberately to understate the increase in prices. [VERB noun] That understates my commitment to the orchestra. [VERB noun] Synonyms: play down, diminish, minimize, downgrade More Synonyms of understate understate in British English (ˌʌndəˈsteɪt) verb 1. to state (something) in restrained terms, often to obtain an ironic effect 2. to state that (something, such as a number) is less than it is understate in American English (ˌʌndərˈsteɪt) verb transitiveWord forms: ˌunderˈstated or ˌunderˈstating 1. to make a weaker statement of than is warranted by truth, accuracy, or importance; state too weakly 2. to state, express, etc. in a style that is restrained and often makes use of irony or litotes Derived forms understatement (ˌunderˈstatement) noun Examples of 'understate' in a sentence understate Bleak façades, I thought, understated as only the very wealthy can understate them. Reeves, Robert DOUBTING THOMAS (1993) "It was always far more dramatic to understate things, especially for someone who'd smelled gunsmoke in his time. Clancy, Tom WITHOUT REMORSE (1993) In other languages understate British English: understate VERB If you understate something, you describe it in a way that suggests that it is less important or serious than it really is. The government chooses deliberately to understate the increase in prices. American English: understate Brazilian Portuguese: minimizar Chinese: 不充分陈述 European Spanish: minimizar French: minimiser German: herunterspielen Italian: minimizzare Japanese: 実際より少なく言う Korean: 실제보다 축소해 말하다 European Portuguese: minimizar Latin American Spanish: minimizar Chinese translation of 'understate' understate (ʌndəˈsteɪt) vt 轻(輕)描淡写(寫) (qīng miáo dàn xiě) (verb) in the sense of play down Definition to describe or portray something in restrained terms, often to obtain an ironic effect The government chooses to understate the increase in prices. Synonyms play down diminish minimize downgrade talk down (informal) sell short (informal) soft-pedal (informal) underemphasize Opposites exaggerate , overstate , talk up (informal) Synonyms of 'understate' understate Explore 'understate' in the dictionary
随便看	overbook overbooked overbooking overboot overbore overborne overborrow overbought overbound overbrake overbreathing overbred overbreed overbridge overbrief overbright overbrim overbroad overbrow overbrowse overbrutal overbudget overbuild overbuilt overbulk

Trends ofunderstate

understate

understate in British English

understate in American English

Examples of 'understate' in a sentenceunderstate

In other languagesunderstate

Chinese translation of 'understate'

understate

vt

Synonyms of 'understate'

understate

Trends of
understate

Examples of 'understate' in a sentence
understate

In other languages
understate