1. describes or presents something as being smaller, less important, or less significant than it actually is
Usage: third person singular present tense of ‘understate’

Examples

• The report understates the severity of the environmental damage.
• She always understates her achievements when talking to others.
• The company understates its profits to avoid higher taxes.
• He understates the difficulty of the task to encourage his team.
• The article understates the impact of the new policy on small businesses.
• The witness understates what he actually saw that night.