Understate: meaning, definitions and examples
๐ถ
understate
[ หสndษrหsteษชt ]
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.
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:
๐ต๐น minimizar
๐ฎ๐ณ เคเคฎ เคเคฐเคเฅ เคฆเคฟเคเคพเคจเคพ
๐ฉ๐ช untertreiben
๐ฎ๐ฉ meremehkan
๐บ๐ฆ ะฟัะธะผะตะฝััะฒะฐัะธ
๐ต๐ฑ umniejszaฤ
๐ฏ๐ต ๆงใใใซ่จใ
๐ซ๐ท minimiser
๐ช๐ธ subestimar
๐น๐ท kรผรงรผmsemek
๐ฐ๐ท ์ถ์ํ๋ค
๐ธ๐ฆ ูููู ู ู ุดุฃู
๐จ๐ฟ zlehฤovat
๐ธ๐ฐ zฤพahฤovaลฅ
๐จ๐ณ ไฝไผฐ
๐ธ๐ฎ podcenjevati
๐ฎ๐ธ vanmeta
๐ฐ๐ฟ ะบะตะผัััั
๐ฌ๐ช แจแแคแแกแแแแก แจแแแชแแ แแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ kiรงiltmษk
๐ฒ๐ฝ subestimar
Word origin
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.