understatement — Dictionnaire anglais

Nom

1. A figure of speech whereby something is made to seem smaller or less important than it actually is, either through phrasing or lack of emphasis, often for ironic effect.

   Usage

   • rhetoric
   • indénombrable
   • usually

   Synonymes

   meiosis

   Antonymes

   auxesishyperbole

   Exemples

   A master of understatement

   And that mode of expression is very demurring and self-deprecating. Victorian English was all about understatement.

2. An instance of such phrasing or lack of emphasis; an incomplete statement.

   Usage

   • dénombrable
   • usually

   Synonymes

   trivialization

   Antonymes

   exaggerationoverstatement

   Exemples

   Now that's an understatement.

3. An incomplete disclosure that intentionally withholds relevant information.

   Usage

   • indénombrable
   • usually

Nom

1. a statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said

   Antonymes

   overstatement

   Termes génériques

   statement