play down

verb

played down; playing down; plays down

transitive verb

: to attach little importance to : minimize

He humbly played down his role in the research.

Synonyms of play down

• dismiss
• minimize
• run down
• talk down
• diminish
• dump on
• write off

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

In response to the concerns, companies including Amazon and Microsoft have been playing down the issue, saying the data center water use can be done responsibly, or sourced from wastewater. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026

Miami coach Mario Cristobal played down preseason hype around his team. — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 17 Aug. 2026

The 23-year-old can play down both defensive flanks, but is primarily a right-back. — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

The industry is one of the key drivers of Indian economic growth and middle-class expansion, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has played down job displacement concerns. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for play down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

play down

verb

: to attach little importance to : minimize