Understate: meaning, definitions and examples

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understate

 

[ หŒสŒndษ™rหˆsteษชt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

in conversation

To represent or describe (something) as being smaller, less important, or less serious than it really is.

Synonyms

depreciate, diminish, downplay, minimize

Examples of usage

  • He understated the problem to avoid causing panic.
  • She tends to understate her achievements.
  • Don't understate the impact of your actions.
  • The company deliberately understated their profits.
Context #2 | Verb

in writing

To present or portray (something) as being less impressive or important than it really is.

Synonyms

belittle, mitigate, play down, soft-pedal

Examples of usage

  • The author chose to understate the emotional depth of the characters.
  • The article understated the significance of the discovery.
  • It's important not to understate the challenges ahead.

Translations

Translations of the word "understate" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น minimizar

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค•เคฎ เค•เคฐเค•เฅ‡ เคฆเคฟเค–เคพเคจเคพ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช untertreiben

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ meremehkan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฟั€ะธะผะตะฝัˆัƒะฒะฐั‚ะธ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ umniejszaฤ‡

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆŽงใˆใ‚ใซ่จ€ใ†

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท minimiser

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ subestimar

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท kรผรงรผmsemek

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์ถ•์†Œํ•˜๋‹ค

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ูŠู‚ู„ู„ ู…ู† ุดุฃู†

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ zlehฤovat

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ zฤพahฤovaลฅ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ไฝŽไผฐ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ podcenjevati

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ vanmeta

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะบะตะผัั–ั‚ัƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒจแƒ”แƒคแƒแƒกแƒ”แƒ‘แƒ˜แƒก แƒจแƒ”แƒ›แƒชแƒ˜แƒ แƒ”แƒ‘แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ kiรงiltmษ™k

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ subestimar

Etymology

The word 'understate' originated in the early 19th century, combining 'under-' as a prefix indicating insufficiently or inadequately, and 'state' meaning to express something definitely or clearly. It has been used to describe the act of downplaying or diminishing the importance or seriousness of something.

See also: instatement, interstate, misstate, overstate, overstated, overstatement, reinstate, restate, restatement, stated, stately, statement, statements, stateroom, statesman, understated, unstated.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #26,927, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.