An understatement is a figure of speech in which something is expressed less strongly than would be expected, often to emphasize its significance. The two crossword solutions for the term 'understatement' are MEIOSIS (7 letters) and LITOTES (7 letters). MEIOSIS is a rhetorical device that involves making a statement that is intentionally less than what it could be. LITOTES is a form of understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite. Both MEIOSIS and LITOTES are used to make a point without being too direct or blunt.