underact

/ˈʌndərækt/

Definitions

1. verb

to act in a less than normal or expected way, often to avoid being noticed or to make a bad situation worse

“The politician underacted by not responding to the crisis, which led to further outrage.”

2. noun

the act of acting in a less than normal or expected way

“The politician’s underact was a major factor in his loss of public trust.”

Synonyms

  • downplay
  • underplay

Antonyms

  • exaggerate
  • overact