a remarkable understatement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a remarkable understatement" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a statement that downplays a situation or fact in a way that is surprisingly minimal compared to the reality of the situation. Example: "Saying that the storm caused some damage was a remarkable understatement; entire neighborhoods were flooded."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

GEORGIA WOOD Brooklyn, June 13 , 2012  To call allowing students to attend the school of their choice irrespective of district lines a "tricky proposition," as Ms. Kafka does, is a remarkable understatement.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

One of our teen sons, with remarkable understatement, said, "It's a shame it had to happen at Christmas, isn't it?" I agreed.

Huffington Post

For his award winning 2006 film Offside, Mr Panahi, who was already under threat from the authorities (in remarkable understatement he said that they felt "sensitive" about him) submitted a fake script for approval by the Ministry, and replaced his own, controversial name with that of an assistant on the shoot.

Huffington Post

With remarkable understatement, it noted that "the fund does not work as intended".

The New York Times

As the film notes, with remarkable understatement, "There aren't many stories of human endurance that compare to this one".

The New York Times - Arts

Haldane's (1932: 162) remarkable understatement, "in the cases of sexual selection and the evolution of flowers, survival value has been determined by animal aesthetics, which are not altogether unlike our own" suggests that Plato's view echoes ancient instinct.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

That remarkable understatement by the talented Mr. ROA may help viewers understand the diplomatic skills that a truly global graffiti/street/urban artist needs to have when carefully negotiating various cultures and localities around the world with an aerosol can in hand.

Huffington Post

To say that Wilko Johnson has had a remarkable ride these last five years would be an understatement.

The Guardian - Music

To say it has been a remarkable year for the 19-year-old would be an understatement.

The Guardian - Sport

Gymnastics coaching scion Béla Károlyi told us, "She is a remarkable athlete, super talented... everything you need to be a high-class gymnast.... World champion is an understatement".

Huffington Post

To say his story of triumph is remarkable is an understatement and no one can take away his accomplishments or what he has done for the medical community.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a remarkable understatement", ensure the context clearly demonstrates the significant gap between what is stated and the actual situation to emphasize the true extent of the matter being discussed.

Common error

Avoid using "a remarkable understatement" in situations where the understatement is minimal or expected. This diminishes the phrase's impact and can make your writing sound hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

"A remarkable understatement" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as a subject complement or an appositive. It describes a statement that deliberately minimizes the significance or severity of something. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is grammatically correct and readily usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a remarkable understatement" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that functions as a noun phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it serves to emphasize a situation where a statement drastically downplays the reality. Commonly found in news and media, as well as scientific contexts, the phrase highlights a significant discrepancy between what is expressed and the true extent of the matter. While alternatives such as ""a significant understatement"" or ""a considerable understatement"" exist, the phrase remains a potent tool for emphasizing the true scale of events. The best practice is to employ it when the actual situation dramatically exceeds what is being described.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant understatement

Replaces "remarkable" with "significant", focusing on the importance of the understatement.

a considerable understatement

Substitutes "remarkable" with "considerable", emphasizing the degree to which the statement falls short of reality.

a gross understatement

Uses "gross" instead of "remarkable", highlighting the large discrepancy between the statement and the truth.

a huge understatement

Replaces "remarkable" with "huge", stressing the magnitude of the understatement.

a massive understatement

Employs "massive" in place of "remarkable" to underscore the substantial scale of the understatement.

a striking understatement

Uses "striking" instead of "remarkable", emphasizing how noticeable the understatement is.

a notable understatement

Replaces "remarkable" with "notable", pointing out the noteworthy nature of the understatement.

a glaring understatement

Substitutes "remarkable" with "glaring", highlighting how obvious the understatement is.

a severe understatement

Uses "severe" instead of "remarkable", stressing the seriousness of the understatement in misrepresenting the actual situation.

a wild understatement

Replaces "remarkable" with "wild", to underline a greater impact of the understatement.

FAQs

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

Use "a remarkable understatement" to describe a statement that significantly downplays the severity or magnitude of something. For example, "To say the company faced challenges this year is "a remarkable understatement"; they nearly went bankrupt."

What are some alternatives to "a remarkable understatement"?

You can use alternatives like "a significant understatement", "a considerable understatement", or "a gross understatement" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use "remarkable understatement" or "a remarkable understatement"?

The inclusion of the article "a" before "remarkable understatement" depends on the sentence structure. Generally, using "a remarkable understatement" is more common when it functions as a noun phrase.

What's the difference between "a remarkable understatement" and "an ironic statement"?

"A remarkable understatement" downplays a situation, while an "an ironic statement" implies the opposite of what is said, often for humorous or emphatic effect. Irony relies on contrast between appearance and reality or intention and result, while understatement minimizes the actual scale or impact of something.