- the act or an instance of stating something in restrained terms, or as less than it is
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
understatement /ˌʌndəˈsteɪtmənt/ n
un•der•state /ˌʌndɚˈsteɪt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -stat•ed, -stat•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to state or represent (some result, finding, etc.) less strongly or strikingly than the facts would indicate; make (something) seem less important than it really is:The report understates the magnitude of the disaster.
un•der•state
(un′dər stāt′),USA pronunciation v.t., -stat•ed, -stat•ing.
un•der•state•ment
(un′dər stāt′mənt, un′dər stāt′-)USA pronunciation n.
- to state or represent less strongly or strikingly than the facts would bear out; set forth in restrained, moderate, or weak terms:The casualty lists understate the extent of the disaster.
- under- + state 1815–25
'understatement' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):