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Showing results for understated. Search instead for underseated.
Synonyms

understated

American  
[uhn-der-stey-tid] / ˌʌn dərˈsteɪ tɪd /

adjective

  1. restrained in design, presentation, etc.; low-key.

    the understated elegance of the house.

Other Word Forms

  • understatedness noun

Etymology

Origin of understated

First recorded in 1935–40; understate + -ed 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She describes her personal experiences with an insight, vulnerability and openness that is reminiscent of the raw emotions of Peet’s recent performances, which traffic in an understated, unassuming power.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

So pressure to meet forecasts can result in both understated outlooks, which can confuse investors, and decisions on capital allocation, innovation and hiring that can damage a company over time.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Others prefer a more understated approach and head coach Tandy is deliberately more cautious in his messaging.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Importantly, and often understated, tokenized equities remain tied to the traditional financial-asset universe; they are not “crypto-only” fictions but rather a bridge between legacy asset classes and blockchain infrastructure.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 19, 2026

“Help me to understated: What is the virtue in denying one’s own desires to satisfy another’s will?”

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.