as in minimized
to reduce in apparent importance
he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success
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Recent Examples of downplayed
Many community leaders and local officials downplayed the impact of SB 79 on San Diego when it was approved last October because the city had already done significant upzoning near many of its trolley stops, especially in University City and Mission Valley.
—
David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
The AfD has become more radical since then, and some of its prominent members have openly used Nazi language and downplayed the Holocaust.
—Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
Both downplayed the gathering as random and platonic.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
At a congressional hearing in Washington in January, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner downplayed the impact of the ICE raids.
—James Osborne, Houston Chronicle, 6 May 2026
In court filings, his lawyers downplayed his alleged involvement.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
As the Celtics prepared to head back to TD Garden for Game 7, Tatum downplayed the injury.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
But the canal authority downplayed the report, pushing back on the congestion claims.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 29 Apr. 2026
For the incumbent crypto platforms themselves, however, analysts have largely downplayed any potential risks posed by challenges from the predictions markets.
—Tanaya MacHeel, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026
David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
The AfD has become more radical since then, and some of its prominent members have openly used Nazi language and downplayed the Holocaust.
—Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
Both downplayed the gathering as random and platonic.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
At a congressional hearing in Washington in January, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner downplayed the impact of the ICE raids.
—James Osborne, Houston Chronicle, 6 May 2026
In court filings, his lawyers downplayed his alleged involvement.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
As the Celtics prepared to head back to TD Garden for Game 7, Tatum downplayed the injury.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
But the canal authority downplayed the report, pushing back on the congestion claims.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 29 Apr. 2026
For the incumbent crypto platforms themselves, however, analysts have largely downplayed any potential risks posed by challenges from the predictions markets.
—Tanaya MacHeel, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downplayed
Verb
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Those fights faded once governments began delineating specific zones where such projects were allowed and impacts could be minimized.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Warsh also minimized the president’s threats against the central bank, asserting that the Fed isn’t actually in any immediate danger of being coerced.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And that’s partly why Weltman dismissed coach Jamahl Mosley the day after the Magic were eliminated and also discussed Orlando’s roster needs — which, in his eyes, include more shooting and veteran help.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 May 2026
-
Adams dismissed this notion out of hand, with no small amount of hostility.—
New York Daily News,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The changes have included an overhaul of Google’s ubiquitous search engine that has de-emphasized a listing of relevant web links in its results and increasingly highlighted AI overviews and conversational responses provided through an AI mode.—
Michael Liedtke,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In fact, several of the investigators believed the shooting was intentional, and that the Biden administration had actually soft-pedaled the investigation’s findings to appease Israel.—
Scott Griffen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downplayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downplayed. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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