Question

Which phrase defines “understatement” best?

the description of an idea magnified or overemphasized to an extreme degree
the presentation of something as less significant than it is
a style of writing used to mock humans or society
a hint, usually derogatory, about a person or thing

Answer 1

The presentation of something as less significant than it is.

Answer 2

The answer is B: the presentation of something as less significant than it is.

An understatement is a statement that portrays or represents something as less relevant or smaller than it actually is. By representing something as less important than it actually is, an understatement is usually used as rhetorical device to underplay the significance of the object of an argument or proposition.