as in minimized
to reduce in apparent importance
he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of downplayed
Last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt downplayed the significance of an Iran-Russia intelligence partnership and said that any Russian assistance had not changed the battlefield dynamics, pointing to operations that have significantly degraded Iranian capabilities.
—
Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 8 Mar. 2026
And not only downplayed but dismissed, in some cases, buried.
—Scott Pelley, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
This president has downplayed the need to tap the SPR this time around.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
Fernandez also downplayed his team being in South Florida for most of the week.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026
Yet the handpicked chair of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has downplayed the importance of the vaccine for measles, as well as for polio and other highly contagious, deadly diseases.
—Jerome Adams, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026
As for the back and forth that led to technicals for Herro and Durant early in Saturday’s game, both Herro and Durant downplayed the incident after the contest.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Altman downplayed the risk of such arrangements in the CNBC interview.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
Paak, who grew up 60 miles north of Los Angeles in Oxnard, has never hidden or downplayed his Korean heritage.
—Kevin Polowy, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 8 Mar. 2026
And not only downplayed but dismissed, in some cases, buried.
—Scott Pelley, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
This president has downplayed the need to tap the SPR this time around.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
Fernandez also downplayed his team being in South Florida for most of the week.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026
Yet the handpicked chair of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has downplayed the importance of the vaccine for measles, as well as for polio and other highly contagious, deadly diseases.
—Jerome Adams, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026
As for the back and forth that led to technicals for Herro and Durant early in Saturday’s game, both Herro and Durant downplayed the incident after the contest.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Altman downplayed the risk of such arrangements in the CNBC interview.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
Paak, who grew up 60 miles north of Los Angeles in Oxnard, has never hidden or downplayed his Korean heritage.
—Kevin Polowy, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downplayed
Verb
-
From there Crochet regrouped and minimized the damage, drawing a run-scoring double play and a flyout to keep it a 2-0 game.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
-
But to re-examine them with the benefit of distance — to see what was emphasized, what was minimized, what might have been left unsaid.—
Amisha Padnani,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After the allegations against his son, the official was dismissed from his post, according to a decision published Wednesday in the state government’s official gazette.—
Eléonore Hughes,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Figures in the main opposition Republican People’s Party, known by its Turkish initials CHP, have dismissed the charges as politically motivated.—
Beril Akman,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 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 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
