UNDERSTATE Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

understate

verb

Definition of understate

as in to minimize

to say that (something) is smaller, less important, etc., than it really is He understated his taxable income. She's trying to understate the issue/problem.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of understate Mink Brown Baum says to think of a mink brown is a true medium brown that’s rich and shiny, but still understated. — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026 Because accommodations are billed separately, the advertised figure understates the full cost of the stay. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Recent warnings about the potential destructive power of AI are understating the severity of the situation. — Geoffrey Irving, Time, 3 Oct. 2026 Their particular fantasy was for a fully monochromatic room, something understated that might look at home in a Prada store. — Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for understate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for understate

Verb

Department leaders are evaluating how to best deploy resources for different emergencies and minimize disruptions.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
Research actually shows that having depression can more than double your risk for dementia, so don’t minimize it, Tucker says.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of minimize

Verb

The stance has seen Newsom, who warns the passage of Prop 40 could see an exodus of the super rich from California, mocked and dismissed by fellow Democrats.

— Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
The complaint was ultimately dismissed, and Iowa's Republican leaders celebrated the ruling.

— CBS News, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of dismiss

Verb

The president downplayed the criticism within his party over the agreement, which would supply the United States and global marketplaces with diesel equivalent to only a little more than one day of global demand.

— Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
Eight states sued OpenAI this week, alleging that the AI company caused severe harm to users, many of them underage, while downplaying the risks of its technology.

— Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of downplay

Browse Nearby Words

understands

understate

understated

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Understate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/understate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of understate

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes