different between understatement vs understate

English

Etymology

under- +? statement

Noun

understatement (usually uncountable, plural understatements)

1. (uncountable, rhetoric) A figure of speech whereby something is made to seem smaller or less important than it actually is, either through phrasing or lack of emphasis, often for ironic effect.

   Synonym: meiosis

   Antonym: hyperbole

   Hyponym: litotes

2. (countable) An instance of such phrasing or lack of emphasis.

   Hyponym: laconism

3. An incomplete disclosure that intentionally withholds relevant information.

Related terms

• understate

Translations

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English understatement.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??n.d?(r)?ste?t.m?nt/ (the realisation may approximate English pronunciation: /?r/ will often be realised as [?] or [?])
• Hyphenation: un?der?state?ment

Noun

understatement n (plural understatements)

1. understatement

Synonyms

• parabool

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English understatement.

Noun

understatement m (invariable)

1. understatement

English

Etymology

under- +? state

Verb

understate (third-person singular simple present understates, present participle understating, simple past and past participle understated)

1. (transitive) To state (something) with less completeness than needed; to minimise or downplay.
2. (transitive) To state (something) with a lack of emphasis, in order to express irony.
3. To state a quantity that is too low.

Synonyms

• (state with lack of emphasis): trivialize

Antonyms

• overstate, exaggerate

Related terms

• understatement

Translations

Anagrams

• undertaste