typical understatement
Frequency: 6.57.2 per million words
Refers to a manner of speaking, often associated with a particular culture (e.g., British), that deliberately makes something sound less important than it is.
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Examples (10)
- With typical British understatement, he described the catastrophic event as 'a bit of a bother'.
- Her reaction was a typical understatement for someone who usually expresses little emotion.
- The manager's comment that sales were 'not ideal' was a typical understatement given the company's losses.
- He offered a typical understatement of his achievements, making them sound far less impressive than they were.
- Considering the scale of the damage, calling it 'a minor inconvenience' was a typical understatement from him.
- It was a typical understatement of the situation, often seen in official reports to downplay severity.
- The critic's review used typical artistic understatement to convey profound dissatisfaction.
- His 'rather warm' comment about the scorching desert heat was a typical understatement.
- She described the intensely difficult exam as 'a little challenging,' a typical understatement from her.
- This kind of calm dismissal of extreme events is a typical understatement of the culture.