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
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has played down the violence as the work of a small group of extremists.
—
Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
The Hornets lost 105-101 to Houston on Thursday night before a sellout crowd, with the 37-year-old Durant scoring a game-high 35 points and making every big play down the stretch.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Some people would try to play down the Winter Olympics GOAT label.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
Valvano warmed up to Spud, who, once again, held his own in a league where MJ played down the road.
—Kevin Sherrington
feb. 10, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play down
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Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
The Hornets lost 105-101 to Houston on Thursday night before a sellout crowd, with the 37-year-old Durant scoring a game-high 35 points and making every big play down the stretch.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Some people would try to play down the Winter Olympics GOAT label.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
Valvano warmed up to Spud, who, once again, held his own in a league where MJ played down the road.
—Kevin Sherrington
feb. 10, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
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 3 Mar. 2026.
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