Understatement
Literary Devices
Intermediate
📝 Quick Definition
Deliberately representing something as less important than it is
📚 Detailed Explanation
Understatement is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less important or serious than it actually is. It's often used for ironic or humorous effect.
💡 Example
Calling a devastating hurricane "a bit of bad weather."
⚠️ Common Mistake/Confusion
Opposite of hyperbole—minimizes rather than exaggerates.
🏷️ Tags
📌 Notes/Source
Can be powerful rhetorical device, especially in British humor.