understate
gb/ˈʌndɚstˌeɪt/ us/ˈʌndɚstˌeɪt/
B2
Englisch
kisebbít, alábecsül, visszafog, visszafogottan ábrázol
VERB
B2
1
Verwendungsmuster:
understate [something]; understate how/what/that...
The report understates the impact of the cuts on rural hospitals.
A jelentés kisebbíti a megszorítások vidéki kórházakra gyakorolt hatását.
She did not want to alarm them, so she understated the risks.
Nem akarta megijeszteni őket, ezért kisebb színben tüntette fel a kockázatokat.
Calling the project challenging would understate how difficult it was.
Beispiele für Lernende
The article understates the problem.
A cikk kisebbíti a probléma jelentőségét.
I think you are understating the cost.
Szerintem alábecsülöd a költséget.
Häufiger Fehler:
Do not usually say “understate about something”; use a direct object: “understate the problem.”
Bedeutung
present as less serious
Wortverbindungen
grossly understate
|seriously understate
|deliberately understate
|tend to understate
|understate the problem
|understate the risk
|understate the cost
|understate the impact
|understate the importance
|understate how difficult
Synonyme
downplay (often suggests deliberately making something seem less important or serious)
|
minimize (emphasizes making the size or seriousness seem smaller)
|
play down (common and slightly less formal, especially in news or everyday speech)
Antonyme
overstate (to describe something as greater or more important than it really is)
|
exaggerate (to make something seem larger, better, worse, or more extreme than it is)
Themen
communication
|evaluation
|business
|media
Definition
to make something seem less big, important, serious, or impressive than it really is
To describe, report, or represent something as smaller, less important, less serious, or less impressive than it really is.
VERB
C1
2
Verwendungsmuster:
understate [an effect/feature/emotion/scene]
The film understates the violence, which makes the story feel more realistic.
A film visszafogottan ábrázolja az erőszakot, ettől a történet valóságosabbnak hat.
The designer understated the branding, using only a small logo on the sleeve.
A tervező visszafogta a márkajelzést: csak egy kis logót tett az ujjára.
Good actors often understate strong emotion rather than spelling it out.
Beispiele für Lernende
The room understates luxury.
A szoba visszafogott luxust sugároz.
The actor understated the sadness in the scene.
A színész visszafogottan játszotta el a szomorúságot a jelenetben.
Häufiger Fehler:
This meaning is less common as a verb; the adjective “understated” is often used for clothes, design, and style.
Bedeutung
present with restraint
Wortverbindungen
deliberately understate
|understate the emotion
|understate the drama
|understate the humor
|understate a scene
|understate the violence
|understate the branding
|understate the design
Synonyme
restrain (emphasizes control and lack of excess)
|
tone down (means to make something less strong or noticeable)
|
mute (often used for colors, sounds, or visual effects made softer or less intense)
Antonyme
emphasize (to give something special importance or make it stand out)
|
highlight (to draw attention to something)
|
overplay (to perform or present something too strongly)
Themen
style
|art
|fashion
|design
|entertainment
Definition
to show or express something in a quiet, subtle way, not in a strong or obvious way
To present, design, or perform something in a deliberately restrained or subtle way rather than emphasizing it strongly.
Grammatik
Grundform
understate
IPA
GB/ˈʌndɚstˌeɪt/
US/ˈʌndɚstˌeɪt/
Silben & Betonung
un - der - state (3 Silben)
Stress on 1st syllable (un)
Wortformen
Verb
- Base: understate
- 3rd Person Singular: understates
- Present Participle: understating
- Past: understated
Ausdrücke
understate the case
1/ˈʌndɚstˌeɪt ðə kˈeɪs/
fixed phrase
describe too mildly
to say something too weakly for the real situation
Beispiele
- To say the launch was successful would understate the case; it changed the whole market.
- Calling the delay inconvenient understates the case—it cost the company millions.
- The team was tired, but that understates the case: they had been working for thirty-six hours.
Beispiele für Lernende
- To say I was nervous would understate the case.
- Calling it a mistake understates the case.