as in to minimize
to reduce in apparent importance
he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of downplay
Kirk’s good at downplaying his interest in seeing La’an again.
—
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Everybody wants to downplay it, but everybody wants one.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, the Defense Secretary (Jared Harris) who has been downplaying this event is feeling the pressure, and carries the burden that his daughter (Kaitlyn Dever) is in Chicago.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
The principles of moral courage and historical clarity are being tested by the current administration’s directive to the Smithsonian to downplay the tragic aspects of our country’s history.
—Brad Braxton, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downplay
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Everybody wants to downplay it, but everybody wants one.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, the Defense Secretary (Jared Harris) who has been downplaying this event is feeling the pressure, and carries the burden that his daughter (Kaitlyn Dever) is in Chicago.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
The principles of moral courage and historical clarity are being tested by the current administration’s directive to the Smithsonian to downplay the tragic aspects of our country’s history.
—Brad Braxton, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downplay
Verb
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Officials repeatedly minimized fire risks and touted the benefits of letting the fire burn, according to The Republic's findings.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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Context switching is minimized.—
Paul Kovalenko,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The actor denied the allegations, and the case was later dismissed, per The Hollywood Reporter.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
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Those who dismissed intersectionality saw such policies as little more than allowing the disadvantaged to commit crimes without consequences to make up for past inequities, afflicting crime victims from the same disadvantaged communities.—
John Scott Lewinski,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Nothing grates quite like those slick pharmaceutical ads blaring across the TV, promising quick fixes while soft-pedaling potential side effects.—
Alex Ward,
Boston Herald,
15 Aug. 2025
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This soft-pedalling impulse is evident in the revival’s treatment of Hank’s next-door neighbor Dale, a conspiracy nut who blames the U.N., the U.S. military, and the Cuban government for life’s inconveniences.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downplay. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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