Synonyms of downplayed

downplayed

verb

past tense of downplay

as in minimized

to reduce in apparent importance

he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success

Synonyms & Similar Words

• minimized
• dismissed
• de-emphasized
• soft-pedaled
• played down
• underplayed
• understated
• denigrated
• disparaged
• decried
• belittled
• derogated
• depreciated
• deprecated
• ran down
• talked down
• cried down
• bad-mouthed
• trashed
• trash-talked
• kissed off
• poor-mouthed
• put down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• exaggerated
• overstated
• elaborated
• stretched
• magnified
• embellished
• overdid
• embroidered
• padded
• overemphasized
• hedged
• overdrew
• overplayed
• fudged
• sensationalized
• melodramatized

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of downplayed

The Dodgers have downplayed Ohtani’s health as a factor in their deadline plans. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 31 July 2026

But the Dodgers have downplayed the severity of that ailment and are under the impression that throwing doesn’t hurt it. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026

Journalists fought back Struggling to compete, newspapers in the 1960s and ’70s could have easily downplayed Agnew’s criticisms of a rival medium. — Heather Hendershot, The Conversation, 31 July 2026

While some customers on Friday jokingly referred to the doughnut wars, both the Randy’s and Stan’s owners downplayed that prospect. — Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 31 July 2026

In the study, ChatGPT Health performed better with classic problems like a stroke or anaphylaxis, but when people downplayed symptoms, the AI tended toward a less urgent recommendation. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 30 July 2026

Someone like Marcello Mastroianni, who always downplayed his being this super-talented artist, had a photographic memory and could learn everything by the first read. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026

Cusack argued that the purpose of the hearings should be to uncover information about the virus and help restore public trust in government following criticism that Fauci had downplayed the threat of COVID-19. — Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 30 July 2026

Both habits are compulsive, self-soothing, and ultimately self-harming, yet only his history with women drives the story while his drug use is, disconcertingly, downplayed. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026