understatement

[ uhn-der-steyt-muhnt, uhn-der-steyt- ]

noun

1. the act or an instance of understating, or representing in a weak or restrained way that is not borne out by the facts:

   The journalist wrote that the earthquake had caused some damage. This turned out to be a massive understatement of the devastation.

understatement

1. A form of irony in which something is intentionally represented as less than it is: “Hank Aaron was a pretty good ball player.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of understatement¹

under- + statement

Example Sentences

Commander Murphy told the hearing that to call their appearance a surprise was a "slight understatement".

From BBC

Or, as bank staff said, with remarkable understatement when they opened the branch on Monday morning: "We found the vault in some disorder."

From BBC

Admitting that to say it was controversial was an "understatement", she said there had been a significant reduction in accidents.

From BBC

To say Reilly's character has been put through the wringer would be an understatement.

From BBC

To say that jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington is a fan of Los Angeles is an understatement.

From Los Angeles Times