understatement
noun [ S or U ] uk/ˌʌn.dəˈsteɪt.mənt/ us/ˌʌn.dɚˈsteɪt.mənt/
保守的陈述; 轻描淡写
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. 说她辞职令人震惊过于轻描淡写了——实际上引起了恐慌。
"It didn't go well? " "That's the understatement of the year/decade/century. It was a disaster." 事情进展不顺利？“这是本年度／十年来／本世纪最温和的说法。那是场灾难。”
Opposites: exaggerationoverstatement