释义 |
Definition of understate in English: understateverbʌndəˈsteɪtˌəndərˈsteɪt [with object]Describe or represent (something) as being smaller or less good or important than it really is. 轻描淡写陈述 the press have understated the extent of the problem 报道弱化了问题的严重性。 Example sentencesExamples - To say we are disappointed would be understating it.
- No, that would be grossly understating the hopelessness of his present situation.
- To describe e-mail as an enabling technology greatly understates its influence.
- Not only is there little sign of a cooling of this demand, but there is also a concern that the trade figures - awful as they are - may even be understating the volume of manufactured imports.
- I've used these kinds of distancing techniques myself - writers often do when they want to highlight the horror of a situation by understating the actual details.
- Even so, he's not one for understating his ambitions, once again setting out his goal to create a ‘world-class business’.
- Commentators who say that the political landscape changed dramatically in the past year are grossly understating the true state of affairs.
- If anything that is rather understating the case - I have been overwhelmed by what I have seen and heard.
- That bland description understates the drama and stakes of the investigation.
- To say he was delighted with it is understating the case.
- To say this property needs renovation may be understating the case.
- To say I'm suffering from a combination of culture shock and stomach churning homesickness would be understating it.
Synonyms play down, downplay, make light of, underrate, rate too low, not do justice to, do an injustice to, underplay, de-emphasize, underemphasize, trivialize, minimize, diminish, downgrade, reduce, lessen, brush aside, gloss over, shrug off informal soft-pedal, sell short rare misprize, minify
Derivativesnoun My mom and dad are going through what the understaters of the world would call a ‘rough time.’ Example sentencesExamples - Just now as he went out the door, I told my husband of your lack of progression and understater that he is (like all doctors) he got all excited and said ‘That's good!’
- To say that the last two weeks have been ‘interesting’ would probably entitle me to some sort of award for being a horrible understater.
Rhymesabate, ablate, aerate, ait, await, backdate, bait, bate, berate, castrate, collate, conflate, crate, create, cremate, date, deflate, dictate, dilate, distraite, donate, downstate, eight, elate, equate, estate, fate, fête, fixate, freight, frustrate, gait, gate, gestate, gradate, grate, great, gyrate, hate, hydrate, inflate, innate, interrelate, interstate, irate, Kate, Kuwait, lactate, late, locate, lustrate, mandate, mate, migrate, misdate, misstate, mistranslate, mutate, narrate, negate, notate, orate, ornate, Pate, placate, plate, prate, prorate, prostrate, pulsate, pupate, quadrate, rate, rotate, sate, sedate, serrate, short weight, skate, slate, spate, spectate, spruit, stagnate, state, straight, strait, Tate, tête-à-tête, Thwaite, translate, translocate, transmigrate, truncate, underrate, underweight, update, uprate, upstate, up-to-date, vacate, vibrate, wait, weight Definition of understate in US English: understateverbˌəndərˈsteɪtˌəndərˈstāt [with object]Describe or represent (something) as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is. 轻描淡写陈述 the press has understated the extent of the problem 报道弱化了问题的严重性。 Example sentencesExamples - Commentators who say that the political landscape changed dramatically in the past year are grossly understating the true state of affairs.
- Not only is there little sign of a cooling of this demand, but there is also a concern that the trade figures - awful as they are - may even be understating the volume of manufactured imports.
- To say he was delighted with it is understating the case.
- I've used these kinds of distancing techniques myself - writers often do when they want to highlight the horror of a situation by understating the actual details.
- To say this property needs renovation may be understating the case.
- Even so, he's not one for understating his ambitions, once again setting out his goal to create a ‘world-class business’.
- To say we are disappointed would be understating it.
- That bland description understates the drama and stakes of the investigation.
- To describe e-mail as an enabling technology greatly understates its influence.
- If anything that is rather understating the case - I have been overwhelmed by what I have seen and heard.
- No, that would be grossly understating the hopelessness of his present situation.
- To say I'm suffering from a combination of culture shock and stomach churning homesickness would be understating it.
Synonyms play down, downplay, make light of, underrate, rate too low, not do justice to, do an injustice to, underplay, de-emphasize, underemphasize, trivialize, minimize, diminish, downgrade, reduce, lessen, brush aside, gloss over, shrug off |