vast understatement
Frequency: 7.09.5 per million words
Used to describe a statement that is extremely and obviously not strong enough to describe the real situation.
Categories:
Examples (20)
- To call the damage extensive would be a vast understatement.
- To say the situation is 'challenging' would be a vast understatement.
- Saying the project faced minor hurdles was a vast understatement of the true challenges.
- Calling her achievement 'impressive' is a vast understatement.
- Describing the situation as merely "challenging" was a vast understatement.
- The initial report described the damage as 'minor', which was a vast understatement.
- The politician's apology was a vast understatement of his culpability.
- His claim of being 'slightly busy' was a vast understatement given his workload.
- Claiming they were "a little disappointed" about the loss was a vast understatement.
- To describe the impact as 'significant' would be a vast understatement of its true scale.
- The report's summary turned out to be a vast understatement of the crisis.
- The term 'uncomfortable' was a vast understatement for the agony he endured.
- His comment that the climb was "a bit steep" was a vast understatement.
- Saying the new policy faced 'some resistance' was a vast understatement of the widespread protests.
- Calling the financial impact significant would be a vast understatement given the circumstances.
- The doctor's prognosis that it was 'a bit serious' turned out to be a vast understatement.
- She realized her initial assessment had been a vast understatement of the problem's scale.
- Calling the event 'memorable' is a vast understatement; it was life-changing.
- To say the concert was "well-attended" would be a vast understatement; it was packed.
- Even to say the cost was 'high' would be a vast understatement for such a monumental project.