understate

英 [ˌʌndəˈsteɪt]

美 [ˌʌndərˈsteɪt]

v.  轻描淡写; 避重就轻地说

过去分词：understated　过去式：understated　第三人称单数：understates　现在分词：understating　复数：understates　

GRETEM8

Collins.1 / BNC.15122 / COCA.12982

牛津词典

verb

• 轻描淡写；避重就轻地说
  to state that sth is smaller, less important or less serious than it really is
  1. It would be a mistake to understate the seriousness of the problem.
     对该问题的严重性轻描淡写是错误的。

柯林斯词典

• VERB 不充分如实地陈述；对…轻描淡写；打折扣地说
  If youunderstatesomething, you describe it in a way that suggests that it is less important or serious than it really is.
  1. The government chooses deliberately to understate the increase in prices...
     政府故意对物价上涨轻描淡写。
  2. That understates my commitment to the orchestra.
     那没有充分表达我对管弦乐队的热爱。

英英释义

verb

• represent as less significant or important
  Synonym:minimizeminimisedownplay

双语例句

• We may be looking at long-term, double-digit unemployment with official unemployment figures that understate the extent of the problem.
  我们可能会看到失业率长期处于两位数，而官方失业数据仍将低估问题的严重性。
• Some landlords understate their production figures to avoid tax.
  有些地主少报产量以逃税。
• Yet even these figures understate the change that is taking place.
  然而即使这些数据相对发生在他们国内的变化而言，有所保留。
• This figure may understate the problem, however.
  然而，这一数据可能低估了问题的严重程度。
• Yet some economists believe the official numbers might actually understate the hot money inflows.
  但一些经济学家认为，官方数字实际上可能低估了热钱流入。
• Some journalists feel that official data on such diseases tends to understate the real extent of outbreaks.
  一些记者觉得，这类疾病的官方数据往往比疾病暴发时的真正程度更保守。
• It is impossible to understate how important surging house prices were to consumption.
  房价飙升对于消费的重要性，怎么估计也不会过分。
• In addition, experience suggests that as the threat of a downturn increases, corporate leaders tend to understate it, in an attempt to maintain morale among staff, customers and investors.
  此外，经验表明，当经济低迷的威胁加剧时，企业领袖往往会加以淡化，试图保持员工、客户和投资者的士气。
• If discouraged workers have left the labour force because they could not find a job, then the unemployment rate may understate the hardship they face.
  如果因为他们不可能找到工作，丧失信心的劳动者们已经丧失了劳动的能力，这个失业率，不可能让人真正估计到他们所面对的困难。
• Furthermore, these numbers understate the gap in living conditions between the US and Brics countries.
  而且，这些数字低估了美国和金砖四国（Brics）生活条件之间的差距。