1
as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
out of sheer envy, she would always play down her sister's accomplishments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to minimize
to reduce in apparent importance
if you play down your part in the project, you won't get the credit you deserve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of play down
Against Costa Rica, when Konsa started alongside Stones, the Aston Villa man frequently became the central player in a back three, while Stones would look to progress play down the left.
—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Next play down, get it to Towns to draw a double and release to Mikal Bridges, who finds Alvarado all alone on the weakside for an easy three.
—
Kyle Wagner,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard each made key plays down the stretch to secure the win.
—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Advertisement New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, himself a long-suffering Knicks fan who attended a playoff game on May 21, has played down the chances of Gotham City-style meltdown.
—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for play down
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Next play down, get it to Towns to draw a double and release to Mikal Bridges, who finds Alvarado all alone on the weakside for an easy three.
—
Kyle Wagner,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard each made key plays down the stretch to secure the win.
—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Advertisement New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, himself a long-suffering Knicks fan who attended a playoff game on May 21, has played down the chances of Gotham City-style meltdown.
—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for play down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play down
Verb
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The firms asked the judge to dismiss the case Wednesday, arguing Uber had failed to prove fraud.
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Delta denied this in its legal response, seeking to dismiss the case.
Verb
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This can minimize cooling efficiency by making the unit work harder to bypass the clog, cause water damage from an overflowing drain pan, and even trigger respiratory issues from mold and mildew growth.
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The Environment Monwana was built with the vision of being a leading eco-conscious lodge, with integrated renewable energy sources, highly efficient heating and cooling systems, and smart technology that would minimize its environmental footprint.
Verb
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Everyone inside the building ran down the emergency stairs.
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On a broken possession with the shot clock running down, Thornton caught the ball in the right corner with space to shoot.
Verb
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That’s not to downplay the severity of the injury, of course, which had lasting effects.
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While the Leafs want to downplay the likelihood of a trade, rival executives believe there’s a move coming here.
Verb
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The movie goes from this weird, seedy love motel to the industrial backwaters, and these long walks and talks down empty streets.
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The contractors talked down to me.
Verb
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Questlove is too much of a humanist to soft-pedal’s Maurice White’s contradictions.
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Analysts fault Harris and party leaders for soft-pedaling Donald Trump’s felony convictions and other vulnerabilities, arguing Democrats’ rational, low-negative messaging couldn’t compete in an election defined by rage and relentless attack ads.
Verb
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The weight that was added to the structure over its lifetime diminished the building’s margins against failure, the report said.
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Louden points out that sometimes an English word strengthens and diversifies the Pennsylvania Dutch lexicon rather than diminishes it.
Verb
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The lesson is that Cape Verde got within one game of the world’s knockout rounds not despite its scarcity but through it — by building the focused discipline that constraint forces, organizing a diaspora most would write off as loss, and competing to endure rather than to dazzle.
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So, before writing off a sluggish job candidate search as a market issue, take a hard look at the listing itself, from the title to the requirements, the compensation and the hiring process.
Cite this Entry
“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20down. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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