understate
/ʌndəˈsteɪt
/verb [with object]
Describe or represent (something) as being smaller or less good or important than it really is: the press have understated the extent of the problem...
- That bland description understates the drama and stakes of the investigation.
- Not only is there little sign of a cooling of this demand, but there is also a concern that the trade figures - awful as they are - may even be understating the volume of manufactured imports.
- To describe e-mail as an enabling technology greatly understates its influence.
Synonyms
play down, downplay, make light of, underrate, rate too low, not do justice to, do an injustice to, underplay, de-emphasize, underemphasize, trivialize, minimize, diminish, downgrade, reduce, lessen, brush aside, gloss over, shrug off
informal soft-pedal, sell short
rare misprize, minify
Derivatives
understater
- My mom and dad are going through what the understaters of the world would call a ‘rough time.’
- Just now as he went out the door, I told my husband of your lack of progression and understater that he is (like all doctors) he got all excited and said ‘That's good!’
- To say that the last two weeks have been ‘interesting’ would probably entitle me to some sort of award for being a horrible understater.