play down
verb
played down; playing down; plays down
: to attach little importance to : minimize
He humbly played down his role in the research.
Examples of play down in a Sentence
out of sheer envy, she would always play down her sister's accomplishments
if you play down your part in the project, you won't get the credit you deserve
Recent Examples on the Web
Government officials played down the apparent military takeover and said the coup had been stopped.
—
Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
His ability to make clutch plays down the stretch was once again put on display.
—Charlotte Observer, 30 Nov. 2025
Israeli leaders have played down the settler attacks as the work of a small minority.
—NPR, 28 Nov. 2025
As long as the Dolphins don’t play down to their competition, this should be a win.
—Miami Herald, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play down
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Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
His ability to make clutch plays down the stretch was once again put on display.
—Charlotte Observer, 30 Nov. 2025
Israeli leaders have played down the settler attacks as the work of a small minority.
—NPR, 28 Nov. 2025
As long as the Dolphins don’t play down to their competition, this should be a win.
—Miami Herald, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play down
Cite this Entry
“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20down. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025.
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