单词：understates
音标：[ˌʌndəˈsteɪts] ；
v. 很有节制地陈述或表达（某事物）( understate的第三人称单数 ); 少说, 少报（某数目等）
v represent as less significant or important
understate的用法和样例：
例句
用作动词(v.)
- To call this a security hole is to understate the point woefully.不幸的是,将它称之为安全性漏洞是轻描淡写的说法。
- It would be a mistake to understate the seriousness of the problem.对问题严重性的轻描淡写是错误的。
- Factory managers understate their potential output.工厂的管理人员少报他们的潜在产量。
- She refuses on principle to understate her income for taxation purposes.她出于道德上的动机,不愿为了少纳税而少报收入。
经典引文
These figures may well understate the truth.
出自：Economist