understate
UK /ʌndəˈsteɪt/ US /ʌndəˈsteɪt/
verb 3
Definitions
verb
1
To state (something) with less completeness than needed; to minimise or downplay.
To call this decision a calculated bet understates the risk; it is a Hail Mary pass.
2
To state (something) with an intentional lack of emphasis, in order to express irony.
She is the queen of understatement: she understated her critique masterfully.
3
To state a quantity that is too low.
The company had been understating its liabilities for years.
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