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
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
Grealish slows play down and draws opposition bodies towards him, creating space for others, while George is a more direct, pacy threat.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Bench energizer Chendall Weaver, combo guard Simeon Wilcher and bruising forward Lassina Traore — the only three Longhorns who see regular minutes off the bench — each made crucial plays down the stretch as Texas (13-9, 4-5 SEC) pulled away for a road win against one of its fiercest rivals.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
For all the desire to play down the symbolism, the occasion of Rushdie’s film debut has evoked something more…reflective.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play down
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Kevin Sherrington
feb. 10, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
Grealish slows play down and draws opposition bodies towards him, creating space for others, while George is a more direct, pacy threat.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Bench energizer Chendall Weaver, combo guard Simeon Wilcher and bruising forward Lassina Traore — the only three Longhorns who see regular minutes off the bench — each made crucial plays down the stretch as Texas (13-9, 4-5 SEC) pulled away for a road win against one of its fiercest rivals.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
For all the desire to play down the symbolism, the occasion of Rushdie’s film debut has evoked something more…reflective.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 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 20 Feb. 2026.
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