**Understatement** (антонним к слову «overstatement») — это преуменьшение, смягчение, смягчённое выражение или выражение меньшей степени, чем есть на самом деле.
Here are some examples of using the word «understatement»:
1. She described the traffic jam as a «little delay», but it turned out to be a multi-hour standstill.
2. He claimed that he was «just a little bit» nervous before the exam, but his friends could see that he was extremely anxious.
3. The teacher described the student's essay as «modest», but in fact, it was a masterpiece.
4. She said that she was «just a bit» disappointed with the result, but she was actually devastated.
5. He described the weather as «cool», but it was actually freezing.
6. The politician claimed that the problem was «not as serious as it seems», but the experts warned of a potential disaster.
7. She described her work as «challenging», but it was in fact very difficult and exhausting.
8. He said that he was «a little bit» surprised by the news, but he was actually shocked.
9. The author described the character as «reserved», but in reality, he was quite shy and introverted.
10. She claimed that she was «just a tiny bit» interested in the topic, but she ended up becoming an expert in it.