Understatement — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˌən-dər-ˈstāt-mənt/ un·der·state·ment

Meaning & Definition of Understatement

Understatement (noun)

  1. a statement that represents something as smaller or less intense, or less important than it really is, a statement that understates something; also, the act of understating something or the practice of making such statements
  2. the avoidance of obvious emphasis or embellishment, an understated condition, appearance, etc.

Understatement (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in meiosis

    similar: meiosis, belittlement, disparagement, minimizing, poor-mouthing
    opposite: caricature, coloring, elaboration, embellishment, embroidering, embroidery, exaggeration, hyperbole, magnification, overstatement, padding, stretching, amplification, enhancement, fabrication, misrepresentation

  2. as in restraint, simplicity

    similar: conservativeness, moderation, modesty, restraint, simplicity, austerity, plainness, severity, elegance, gracefulness, tastefulness, minimalism
    opposite: flamboyance, flash, flashiness, garishness, gaudiness, glitz, ostentation, ostentatiousness, pretentiousness, showiness, swank, pretense, éclat, extravaganza, mummery, pageant, parade, show

Related Entry: Understate (verb)

Understate is a different word from Understatement. The synonyms below are for understate, not for understatement.

  1. 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."

    similar: underplay, de-emphasize, downplay, play down, soft-pedal, bad-mouth, belittle, cry down, decry, denigrate, deprecate, depreciate, derogate, dismiss, disparage, kiss off, minimize, poor-mouth, put down, run down, talk down, trash, trash-talk
    opposite: exaggerate, overdo, overdraw, overstate, elaborate, embellish, embroider, magnify, pad, stretch, fudge, hedge, melodramatize, overemphasize, overplay, sensationalize

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Understatement

The most common words with a similar meaning to Understatement:

meiosis, belittlement, disparagement, minimizing, poor-mouthing, conservativeness, moderation, modesty, restraint, simplicity, austerity, plainness, severity, elegance, gracefulness, tastefulness, minimalism

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Understatement

Words with the opposite meaning of Understatement:

caricature, coloring, elaboration, embellishment, embroidering, embroidery, exaggeration, hyperbole, magnification, overstatement, padding, stretching, amplification, enhancement, fabrication, misrepresentation, flamboyance, flash, flashiness, garishness, gaudiness, glitz, ostentation, ostentatiousness, pretentiousness, showiness, swank, pretense, éclat, extravaganza

Word Forms of Understatement

Inflections: understatements

Origin & Etymology of Understatement

First known use: 1799

Words & Phrases Containing Understatement

the understatement of the year

Frequently Asked Questions about Understatement

What does "Understatement" mean?

"Understatement" means a statement that represents something as smaller or less intense, or less important than it really is, a statement that understates something; also, the act of understating something or the practice of making such statements. As a noun, it is defined as: a statement that represents something as smaller or less intense, or less important than it really is, a statement that understates something; also, the act of understating something or the practice of making such statements. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Understatement"?

Other words for "Understatement" include meiosis, belittlement, disparagement, minimizing, poor-mouthing, conservativeness, moderation and modesty. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Understatement" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Understatement"?

There are 17 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Understatement". Common alternatives include meiosis, belittlement, disparagement, minimizing, poor-mouthing, conservativeness, moderation, modesty, restraint and simplicity.

What is the opposite of "Understatement"?

Antonyms of "Understatement" include caricature, coloring, elaboration, embellishment, embroidering, embroidery, exaggeration and hyperbole.

Is "Understatement" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Understatement" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Understatement"?

"Understatement" is pronounced /ˌən-dər-ˈstāt-mənt/ and divided into syllables as un·der·state·ment.

What is the origin of the word "Understatement"?

First known use: 1799.

What is another word for "Understatement" meaning "as in meiosis"?

When "Understatement" (noun) means as in meiosis, synonyms include meiosis, belittlement, disparagement, minimizing and poor-mouthing. Opposites in this sense include caricature, coloring, elaboration and embellishment.