understatement
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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To say the 80-year-old has lost a step is an understatement.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026
In an understatement of the modern age, Anthropic says “we are subject to complex and evolving laws, regulations, and other legal obligations related to privacy and data protection.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
It would be a considerable understatement to say that this view is not shared by wider Israeli society.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
Seen in two venues, that balance shifted: The High’s theatrical immersion emphasized Evans’s ominous undercurrents, while the Whitney’s understatement illuminates her generative spirit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
And Juan Tomas stood beside him and snorted a little at the understatement.
From "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck
As for the camp factor, many massive understatements in the script will trigger appreciative howls of laughter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025
It was one of the greatest understatements of all time.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2025
Those are understatements akin to calling the Amazon a creek or the Grand Canyon a ditch.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 29, 2022
In the world of understatements, saying there’s a lot of television out there has to rank among the boldest.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2022
The average of these averages is 101 per cent. for the entire club, and is probably within the truth; for most of the individual figures which go to make up this result are understatements, not overstatements.
From How to Live Rules for Healthful Living Based on Modern Science by Irving Fisher
Vocabulary lists containing understatement
Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Introductory
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The Giver
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Rhetoric
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