Is there a word/phrase for when you want to use a word, but it sounds cliche, so you try to underplay the use of that word by prepending some diminutive modifier?

Well it's very amusing if you do that to a superlative, it might be better to just go with the cliche.

I sought a synonym for unparalleled for you here:

http://thesaurus.com/browse/unparalleled

But these seem to be even worse. Sorry, I tried.