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
That someone can credibly play down low and also go coast to coast is what makes Barnes so irresistible.
—
Eric Koreen, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Not playing down the stretch was a function of stiffness.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … POLITICS NO ENTRY ZONE – Israel shuts door on Turkey in Gaza as Trump praises Erdogan, plays down clash.
—FOXNews.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Several officers who fought the rioters said the hardest thing to deal with has been the effort by many to play down the violence, despite a massive trove of video and photographic evidence documenting it.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play down
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Eric Koreen, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Not playing down the stretch was a function of stiffness.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … POLITICS NO ENTRY ZONE – Israel shuts door on Turkey in Gaza as Trump praises Erdogan, plays down clash.
—FOXNews.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Several officers who fought the rioters said the hardest thing to deal with has been the effort by many to play down the violence, despite a massive trove of video and photographic evidence documenting it.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 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 9 Jan. 2026.
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