"To create a subtle and often humorous effect by deliberately downplaying the importance or significance of something."
Here's why:
* Subtlety: Understatement avoids being overly dramatic or explicit. It relies on the reader to understand the implied meaning.
* Humor: Understatement often creates humor by juxtaposing the actual event with the downplayed description.
* Emphasis: Despite appearing to diminish something, understatement can actually emphasize its true importance by drawing attention to the discrepancy between the stated and the implied.
For example, if someone says "It's a bit chilly" when they're actually freezing, the understatement highlights the severity of the cold through the contrast.