underplay

verb

un·​der·​play ˌən-dər-ˈplā 

underplayed; underplaying; underplays

intransitive verb

: to play a role with subdued force

transitive verb

1

: to act or present (a role, a scene, etc.) with restraint : play down

2

: to play a card lower than (a held high card)

Examples of underplay in a Sentence

Don't underplay the importance of exercise.

I thought she underplayed her character.

Recent Examples on the Web

Club brass was banking on internal improvement but underplaying the possibility for internal regression. —Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 3 June 2026

YouTube as the new film school, YouTube as the new film festival, YouTube as the new music-video breeding ground — is to dramatically underplay it. —Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 31 May 2026

Meanwhile, the pattern matching is influenced by the majority that is being scanned and mathematically underplays the infrequent and rarer instances. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026

Guijarro is underplaying her role in that final. —Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 21 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for underplay

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

underplay

verb

un·​der·​play ˌən-dər-ˈplā 

: to handle carefully

especially : to play a role without much force