understate
gb/ˈʌndɚstˌeɪt/ us/ˈʌndɚstˌeɪt/
B2
Engleză
kisebbít, alábecsül, visszafog, visszafogottan ábrázol
VERB
B2
1
Tipar de utilizare:
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.
Exemple pentru cursanți
The article understates the problem.
A cikk kisebbíti a probléma jelentőségét.
I think you are understating the cost.
Szerintem alábecsülöd a költséget.
Greșeală frecventă:
Do not usually say “understate about something”; use a direct object: “understate the problem.”
Sens
present as less serious
Colocații
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
Sinonime
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)
Antonime
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)
Teme
communication
|evaluation
|business
|media
Definiție
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
Tipar de utilizare:
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.
Exemple pentru cursanți
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.
Greșeală frecventă:
This meaning is less common as a verb; the adjective “understated” is often used for clothes, design, and style.
Sens
present with restraint
Colocații
deliberately understate
|understate the emotion
|understate the drama
|understate the humor
|understate a scene
|understate the violence
|understate the branding
|understate the design
Sinonime
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)
Antonime
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)
Teme
style
|art
|fashion
|design
|entertainment
Definiție
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.
Gramatică
Forma de dicționar
understate
IPA
GB/ˈʌndɚstˌeɪt/
US/ˈʌndɚstˌeɪt/
Silabe și accent
un - der - state (3 silabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (un)
Forme ale cuvântului
Verb
- Base: understate
- 3rd Person Singular: understates
- Present Participle: understating
- Past: understated
Expresii
understate the case
1/ˈʌndɚstˌeɪt ðə kˈeɪs/
fixed phrase
describe too mildly
to say something too weakly for the real situation
Exemple
- 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.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- To say I was nervous would understate the case.
- Calling it a mistake understates the case.