a major understatement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a major understatement" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to emphasize that a statement or description is significantly less forceful or impactful than the reality of the situation. Example: "Saying that the storm caused some damage is a major understatement; entire neighborhoods were flooded."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Her fans would consider that a major understatement.

The New York Times

To say that I was disappointed would be a major understatement".

The New York Times - Sports

He added, in what qualified as a major understatement, that he was "a little better than I thought".

The New York Times - Sports

"It's a terrific victory, but it was a team effort," said the winner, Johan Museeuw, a Belgian, in a major understatement.

The New York Times - Sports

"They can get comical sometimes — and that's a major understatement — but we don't mind it," says Mr. Rose, on a Southwest flight from New Orleans to Midland-Odessa, Tex.

The New York Times

"Sold well" ended up being a major understatement.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

"Getting to Mars was really hard to do," Nasa's chief historian Dr Bill Barry said, in a major feat of understatement, as the US space agency celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Viking 1 landing on Mars.

The Guardian

"To say it caused a major concern is a gross understatement," said Paul Bowser, a professor of aquatic animal medicine at Cornell University here.

The New York Times

To say that this black cassette with its ball-point scrawl changed the course of my life is an understatement in a major key.

TechCrunch

"To say that 'expungement' of customer claims from broker records is a major investor protection problem is an understatement," said Scott Ilgenfritz, the president of PIABA.

Los Angeles Times

Actually, the word "major" is an understatement.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a major understatement" to introduce a stark contrast between a deliberately weak statement and the actual, more significant reality. It's effective for adding emphasis and drawing attention to the true extent of a situation.

Common error

Avoid using "a major understatement" for trivial situations; its impact is lessened when applied to minor discrepancies. Reserve it for instances where the reality is significantly more pronounced than the initial statement suggests.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a major understatement" functions as an intensifier, typically following a statement to highlight its inadequacy in capturing the full extent or severity of a situation. Ludwig examples show this phrase used to emphasize the true impact.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a major understatement" is a useful phrase to emphasize that a statement is less forceful than the reality it describes. Ludwig AI confirms it as grammatically sound and effective for adding emphasis. It's common in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts. Use it to highlight significant discrepancies, but avoid overuse in trivial situations. Alternatives like "a gross understatement" or "putting it mildly" can provide variety. When used correctly, this phrase can significantly enhance your writing's impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a gross understatement

Emphasizes the inadequacy of the original statement to a greater degree.

a considerable understatement

Highlights the notable difference between the statement and the truth.

a vast understatement

Indicates a substantial difference; often used for dramatic effect.

a serious understatement

Implies that the situation is more severe than described.

quite an understatement

More informal way of expressing the sentiment, implying a noticeable difference.

a severe understatement

Suggests a critical discrepancy between the description and reality.

a massive understatement

Stresses the large scale of the difference.

a monumental understatement

Indicates an exceptionally large degree of understatement.

putting it mildly

An idiomatic expression used to soften the impact of a statement.

that's an understatement

Directly acknowledges that the previous statement does not fully capture the situation.

FAQs

How can I use "a major understatement" in a sentence?

You can use "a major understatement" to emphasize that a statement is far less impactful than reality. For example, "To say the company faced challenges is "a major understatement"; they were on the brink of collapse."

What are some alternatives to "a major understatement"?

Alternatives include "a gross understatement", "a vast understatement", or "putting it mildly", each varying slightly in emphasis.

Is it ever incorrect to use "a major understatement"?

It's not grammatically incorrect, but it can be misused. Avoid using it when the difference between the statement and reality isn't truly significant. Overusing the phrase dilutes its impact.

What's the difference between ""a major understatement"" and "an exaggeration"?

"A major understatement" implies the truth is more significant than stated, while "an exaggeration" means the statement is less accurate and inflated beyond the truth.