downplay

verb

down·​play ˈdau̇n-ˌplā How to pronounce downplay (audio)
downplayed; downplaying; downplays

Examples of downplay in a Sentence

Athletes often downplay their injuries. he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even as Vancouver publicly downplays its conviction about Cootes, internally, the conversation around him is beginning to shift materially. Thomas Drance, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025 Patel’s remarks during the visit included commentary on countering Chinese influence in the South Pacific, statements that New Zealand officials subsequently downplayed in public, instead emphasizing cooperation on crime issues such as child exploitation and illicit drugs. Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 Alex Mengden, policy analyst at Tax Foundation Europe, said EU officials have typically sought to downplay the potential for any retaliatory steps from major economies when the final stage of CBAM kicks in. Sam Meredith, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025 That’s been the company line this week, Kelce following Reid, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and defensive tackle Chris Jones in downplaying the incident as a sign of a player’s passion and a coach’s competitive spirt. Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for downplay

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of downplay was in 1948

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Cite this Entry

“Downplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downplay. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.

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