What literary technique involves representing something as lesser in magnitude than it actually is?

The technique that involves presenting something as less significant, important, or intense than it truly is is known as understatement. This method is often used for a variety of effects, such as creating irony, humor, or a subtlety that underscores the true impact of the subject being discussed.

For example, if a character in a story wins a prestigious award and someone comments, “It’s just a little trophy,” they are downplaying its significance, which may serve to highlight the character's humility or to create a contrasting effect by making the award seem more valuable through its understatement. By using understatement, writers can engage readers in a more complex way, encouraging them to think critically about the true meaning behind the words.

Hyperbole, while a form of exaggeration that reflects an overstatement of magnitude, would be the opposite of understatement. Emphasis would imply highlighting or magnifying specific aspects rather than downplaying them, while exaggeration also focuses on overrepresenting something rather than reducing its importance. Therefore, understatement is the precise term that captures the action of making something appear lesser than it actually is.