What does huge understatement mean?
What does huge understatement mean?
1 : a statement that represents something as smaller or less intense, or less important than it really is : a statement that understates something To say that I was surprised by this outcome would be an understatement.
What is an understatement in poetry?
Understatement: Definition. An understatement is a literary device by which a particular quality of a person, object, emotion, or situation is downplayed or presented as being less than what is true to the situation. An understatement is often used to downplay the value, size, or importance of something.
What is an understatement called in literature?
Litotes
Litotes are literary devices related to understatement, using double negatives in order to convey understatement or an opposite idea. Litotes are often ironic, as well. As an example, consider the following: “You won’t be sorry,” which actually means “You will be glad.”
What is the meaning of understatement with examples?
a statement that describes something in a way that makes it seem less important, serious, bad, etc. than it really is, or the act of making such statements: To say that her resignation was a shock would be an understatement – it caused panic. “It didn’t go well? ” “That’s the understatement of the year/decade/century.
What is the synonym of understatement?
In this page you can discover 18 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for understatement, like: less than the truth, modest statement, underestimate, overstatement, restrained statement, litotes, restraint, distortion, avoidance of overemphasis or exaggeration, belittlement and null.
What is a rhetorical understatement?
In rhetoric, litotes (/laɪˈtoʊtiːz/, /ˈlaɪtətiːz/ or US: /ˈlɪtətiːz/), also known classically as antenantiosis or moderatour, is a figure of speech and form of verbal irony in which understatement is used to emphasize a point by stating a negative to further affirm a positive, often incorporating double negatives for …
What are the types of understatement?
There are two main types of understatement: ironic understatement and, well, non-ironic understatement. In order to fully understand understatement in all its forms, it’s important to have a good grasp of these two different ways of using it.
What is understatement figurative?
Understatement is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less important or serious than it is. Contrast with hyperbole.
What does overstatement mean in literature?
Overstatement is when you use language to exaggerate your intended meaning. These statements count as figurative language and are not meant to be taken literally. Also known as hyperbole, overstatement is used intentionally to emphasis the importance of your statement.
Why does an author use a understatement?
Understatements are also found in poetry and literature. An understatement plays with the reader’s expectations — downplaying a situation when the reader might imagine a more intense response.
Why do poets use understatement?
What is overstatement in literature?
How do you use understatement in a sentence?
Examples of ‘understatement’ in a sentence understatement
- He called it a postscript but he had always had a taste for understatement.
- she said, hitting the wrong note, making it sound like an understatement for his current situation.
- `She can be a bit of a snob sometimes,’ Sally said with gross understatement.
What are the antonyms of understatement?
antonyms for understatement
- exaggeration.
- overstatement.
What is overstatement and understatement in poetry?
Exaggeration or hyperbole and overstatements are the complete opposite, where something is blown out of proportion. Understatements are sometimes not well defined and are subtly said to another person out of rhetoric. Oftentimes, the response to one is “Well, that is an understatement!”
Why would a writer use overstatement?
Function of Overstatement Writers use this literary technique intentionally to create certain effect. Mostly, it helps to lay emphasis on some point. In prose, its purpose is to create humor and emphasis. When writers want to emphasize a point, they overstate it or exaggerate it.
What is the effect of understatement in a poem?
What is an overstatement in literature?
What is understatement in figurative language?
What’s another word for an understatement?
What is the literary definition of understatement?
While you can see understatement in everyday speech, most people are looking for an understatement literary definition. By definition, an understatement is when you represent something as less than what it is.
Why do writers use overstatements and understatements?
Writers use understatements when they want to create humor, irony, or convey an aspect of someone’s personality. Someone who continually uses understatements might be perceived as pessimistic, while someone who uses overstatements might seem optimistic or naive.
What is the difference between exaggeration and understatement?
Exaggeration or hyperbole and overstatements are the complete opposite, where something is blown out of proportion. Understatements are sometimes not well defined and are subtly said to another person out of rhetoric. Oftentimes, the response to one is “Well, that is an understatement!”
What is the difference between understatement and litotes?
All examples of litotes are also examples of understatement, but not all understatement is litotes. Understatement appears all over the place. The examples below are taken from literature, film, and history.
