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litotes

noun

Pronunciation: ˈlaɪtətiːz

A figure of speech that employs an understatement by using double negatives or by denying the opposite of a positive statement to emphasize a point.

Describing a massive storm as 'not exactly a light drizzle' is a classic example of litotes.
He used litotes when he remarked that the billionaire was 'not entirely penniless.'
The author relied on litotes throughout the essay to express strong opinions without sounding overly aggressive.

Words with a similar meaning to litotes:

Words with the opposite meaning to litotes: