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
The pistachio one hit the hardest, its flavor perfectly understated.
—
Editors Of Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 May 2025
But those figures understate the full scale of Chinese imports.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 14 May 2025
The positive impacts of this care can’t be understated.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 7 May 2025
Travelers can immerse themselves in very Hollywood, mini movie experience before boarding.
SAS Lounge in Copenhagen: Showers with speakers
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has a flagship lounge in Copenhagen Airport that is understated but thought out.
—Nicole Trilivas, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for understate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understate
Verb
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Home cooks are often advised to chill their onions before cutting them to minimize crying.—
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Effective targeting minimizes waste and builds consumer loyalty.—
Verb
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But his performance as the coldly confident Conway is still an excellent part of the world Scorsese constructs, and De Niro underplays to excellent effects.—
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By de-emphasizing the will of not just Poles but also Ukrainians, Hubris underplays the key factor that brought Putin to the point of annexing Crimea in 2014: Ukraine’s fervent hope for closer trade ties with the EU.—
Verb
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The charges were dismissed because West’s cause of death was not determined, and some evidence had been illegally obtained. (Netflix) Lewis was convicted of six counts of mail fraud in a 1981 credit card scheme in Kansas City.—
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The involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin were dismissed with prejudice last year.—
Verb
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In high-stakes projects, leaders may downplay their employees’ efforts and exaggerate their mistakes.—
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Both players downplayed the skirmish after the game.—
Cite this Entry
“Understate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understate. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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