play up
verb
played up; playing up; plays up
: emphasize
In the interview, try to play up your strengths.
Examples of play up in a Sentence
that TV news program plays up sensational stories just to get higher ratings
Recent Examples on the Web
The children’s books, which largely attribute poverty in Vietnam to its communist government, also simplify history to play up communist aggression in the civil war—while omitting the extensive role that the United States military played in the conflict.
—
H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 7 May 2026
Rose said Ye bought into her flattery and liked the idea of drinking booze and playing up his bigshot status.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembélé each tallied two goals in that game and will look to keep that strong level of play up to punch PSG’s ticket to the Champions League final.
—John Riker, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Viral memes and TikTok trends play up women’s purportedly excessive spike in libido during ovulation and dramatic irrationality during menstruation and the luteal phase (the 14 days or so between ovulation and menstruation).
—Andréa Becker, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for play up
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H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 7 May 2026
Rose said Ye bought into her flattery and liked the idea of drinking booze and playing up his bigshot status.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembélé each tallied two goals in that game and will look to keep that strong level of play up to punch PSG’s ticket to the Champions League final.
—John Riker, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Viral memes and TikTok trends play up women’s purportedly excessive spike in libido during ovulation and dramatic irrationality during menstruation and the luteal phase (the 14 days or so between ovulation and menstruation).
—Andréa Becker, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for play up
Cite this Entry
“Play up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20up. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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