understatement
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understatement
- /ˌʌndəˈsteɪtmənt/ UK
- /ˌʌndɚˈsteɪtmənt/ US
Rhymes with -eɪtmənt
Where it comes from
From under- + statement or understate + -ment.
noun understatements
- A figure of speech whereby something is made to seem smaller or less important than it actually is, either through phrasing or lack of emphasis, often for ironic effect. A master of understatement
-
An instance of such phrasing or lack of emphasis; an incomplete statement.
Now that's an understatement.
Similar: trivialization · Opposite: exaggeration, overstatement
- An incomplete disclosure that intentionally withholds relevant information.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: say, euphemism, tell, reality, enough, moderation, reductive, reductant, restraint, underestimate, underestimation, undervaluation, undervaluing, underpricing, misunderstatement, meiosis
Translations
Every language
noun statement less than complete
| Español | frivolización |
|---|---|
| Português | eufemismo |
| Français | litote, peu dire, rien dire |
| Deutsch | Untertreibung, Tiefstapelei |
| Italiano | eufemismo |
| Română | litotă |
| Русский | преуменьше́ние preumenʹšénije |
| עברית | לְשׁוֹן הַמְעָטָה leshón ham'atá |
noun a figure speech often for ironic effect
| Español | mesura, comedimiento |
|---|---|
| Italiano | ipobole |
Talk about this word "understatement." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/understatement. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. understatement. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/understatement "understatement." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/understatement.Cite this
@misc{understatement_2026,
title = {understatement},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/understatement},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
