understated

1 of 2

adjective

un·​der·​stat·​ed ˌən-dər-ˈstā-təd How to pronounce understated (audio)
Synonyms of understatednext
: avoiding obvious emphasis or embellishment
understated elegance
understatedly adverb

understated

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of understate

Synonyms of understated

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of understated in a Sentence

Adjective the actor's understated interpretation of the lead role is surprisingly compelling
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Kerry Washington and Gemma Chan made the case for understated elegance, while Lauryn Hill and True Whitaker embraced a more experimental streak. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026 Very clean and modern yet with understated nods to place—subtle Hawaiian patterns, a discreet pineapple print on pillows, natural textures. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026 Natasha Lyonne just goes big as the manager of the store Klara comes from, while Steve Buscemi is oddly understated and twinkly for a mysterious character who proposes something terrible in the name of never needing to mourn. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026 The Camille ballet flat is a signature design from Maison Repetto, following the same understated, simple, and feminine design of the brand’s Cendrillon ballet flat. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for understated

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of understated was circa 1909

Rhymes for understated

See All Rhymes for understated

Browse Nearby Words

understate
understated
understatement
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Understated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/understated. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

understated

adjective
un·​der·​stat·​ed ˌən-dər-ˈstāt-əd How to pronounce understated (audio)
: expressed or done in a quiet or simple fashion
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All