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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Recent Examples of understate
Neal died at the young age of 41, in 1991, but his influence on Southern cuisine cannot be understated.
—
Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Though the latest takes on this archival, vintage silhouette — created for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as a low-profile training shoe — swath it in eye-catching neons and metallic finishes, Off White/Core Black is more understated and thus a better match for your everyday style.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 25 June 2025
The importance of this in the open-source community cannot be understated, as some of the most important software in the world relies on tiny communities that do not have the time or resources to meet onerous cybersecurity regulations.
—Stephanie Domas, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
The Raffia Flat With a Coordinating Skirt Set The newest version of the aforementioned Alaïa flat appears here, this time in raffia, alongside a pleated skirt set for a texture-forward yet understated look.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for understate
Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Though the latest takes on this archival, vintage silhouette — created for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as a low-profile training shoe — swath it in eye-catching neons and metallic finishes, Off White/Core Black is more understated and thus a better match for your everyday style.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 25 June 2025
The importance of this in the open-source community cannot be understated, as some of the most important software in the world relies on tiny communities that do not have the time or resources to meet onerous cybersecurity regulations.
—Stephanie Domas, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
The Raffia Flat With a Coordinating Skirt Set The newest version of the aforementioned Alaïa flat appears here, this time in raffia, alongside a pleated skirt set for a texture-forward yet understated look.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for understate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for understate
Verb
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That's why ignoring minor misbehavior (as long as no one is being harmed) and praising positive choices is one of the most effective ways to manage and minimize attention-seeking behaviors.1 2.—
Amy Morin,
Parents,
7 July 2025
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These workshops taught cognitive skills aimed at maximizing the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses typically associated with their specific most strongly outlying trait.—
Maia Szalavitz,
Scientific American,
7 July 2025
Verb
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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
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The Takacs was already a fine quartet, with a lyrical, emotionally frank sensibility that rarely underplayed the character of a phrase.—
David Allen Chet Strange,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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So far, nearly 60,000 federal employees have been dismissed, with the State Department layoffs marking the latest round of cuts.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
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With the reciprocal tariffs, Trump is dismissing the rules governing world trade.—
Aamer Madhani,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
Verb
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The senior State Department official downplayed the study.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
13 July 2025
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The man who has turned Paris Saint-Germain from an excellent side to the best club soccer team on the planet has even downplayed his role with the FIFA Club World Cup final against Chelsea at MetLife Stadium looming on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Understate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understate. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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