as in to minimize
to say that (something) is smaller, less important, etc., than it really is
He understated his taxable income. She's trying to understate the issue/problem.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of understate
And for those channeling understated cool, Sofia Richie Grainge has made a case for the simple jelly flip-flop — a subtle yet trendy nod to the season’s biggest sandal obsessions.
—
Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 28 July 2025
That’s another effect of ACL tears that can’t be understated: The mental impact can be huge.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 31 July 2025
To say the Lucas appearance was a hot ticket is to understate.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025
Preemptive wars may be foregone by understating the risk of an enemy attack that occurs.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for understate
Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 28 July 2025
That’s another effect of ACL tears that can’t be understated: The mental impact can be huge.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 31 July 2025
To say the Lucas appearance was a hot ticket is to understate.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025
Preemptive wars may be foregone by understating the risk of an enemy attack that occurs.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for understate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understate
Verb
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The latter has a toning effect that minimizes the appearance of pores, leaving skin visibly smoother.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
24 Aug. 2025
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Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics professionals must continue to make the science accessible by knowing audiences, minimizing jargon, using analogies or real-world examples, and applying miniature, meaningful, and memorable (3M’s) messaging.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Mintz more than matches the acrobatic dancing of Donald O’Connor’s Cosmo in the movie but underplays the character’s goofiness and goes for a sly, self-respecting sassiness instead.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
22 July 2025
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To say that there is no love lost between the two sides would be to underplay the depth of feeling here.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
9 June 2025
Verb
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Thailand's Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office on Friday for an ethics violation after only a year in power, dealing another crushing blow to the Shinawatra political dynasty that could usher in a new period of turmoil.—
Panarat Thepgumpanat,
USA Today,
30 Aug. 2025
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Trump alleged that Cook committed mortgage fraud, but the lawsuit argues that doesn’t give him cause to dismiss her, in part because the accusations are unproven.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Still, at least one analyst downplayed the influence of Nvidia’s mystery customers.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
29 Aug. 2025
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Getty Images American Taylor Townsend downplayed the potential racial undertones in her US Open second-round opponent’s post-match comments.—
Adam Zagoria,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Understate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understate. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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