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understatementa statement that represents something as smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: a statement that represents something as smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈʌndərsteɪtmənt/

Korean meaning: 축소표현, 과소평가하는 말

Korean pronunciation: **언**더스테잇먼트

Example Sentences

  • Calling Einstein 'pretty smart' is a bit of an understatement.
  • To say I was 'slightly annoyed' when my phone died during the final exam would be an understatement.
  • His comment that the presentation was 'interesting' was clearly an understatement - everyone was amazed.

understatement

NOUN

//ˈʌndərsteɪtmənt//

a statement that represents something as smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is

understatement concept
💡 Concept

a statement that represents something as smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is

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understatement rhyme
🎵 Rhyme

Seeking agreement through careful treatment, but calling war 'minor' is quite an understatement!

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈʌndərsteɪtmənt/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈʌndəsteɪtmənt/

🌳Etymology

Prefixunder--
Rootstate
Suffix--ment

Origin

Derived from the prefix 'under-' (meaning below or insufficiently) combined with 'statement' (from Latin 'statum', past participle of 'stare', meaning to stand or state). The word emerged in English during the 17th century to describe the rhetorical practice of deliberately representing something as less significant than it truly is.

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🎵Rhyme

statementtreatmentagreement
statement
treatment
agreement

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📝Examples

😄 Fun example

Calling Einstein 'pretty smart' is a bit of an understatement.

😄 Fun example

To say I was 'slightly annoyed' when my phone died during the final exam would be an understatement.

His comment that the presentation was 'interesting' was clearly an understatement - everyone was amazed.

😄 Fun example

Saying that winning the lottery would be 'nice' is quite an understatement.

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📚Related Words

Synonyms

downplayingminimizationmodestyrestraint

Antonyms

exaggerationoverstatementhyperbole

Related

litotesmodestyeuphemismironyunderplay