Synonyms of downplaying

downplaying

verb

present participle of downplay

as in minimizing

to reduce in apparent importance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• minimizing
• dismissing
• de-emphasizing
• soft-pedaling
• understating
• playing down
• underplaying
• denigrating
• belittling
• disparaging
• decrying
• derogating
• deprecating
• depreciating
• running down
• talking down
• trashing
• bad-mouthing
• crying down
• trash-talking
• poor-mouthing
• putting down
• kissing off

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• exaggerating
• overstating
• overdoing
• elaborating
• stretching
• overdrawing
• magnifying
• embellishing
• padding
• embroidering
• hedging
• overemphasizing
• fudging
• overplaying
• sensationalizing
• melodramatizing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of downplaying

Paul has backed the theory that the coronavirus emerged from a lab, and has accused Fauci and other top officials of publicly downplaying and denigrating that theory, especially in the early days of the pandemic. — Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 29 July 2026

The American Academy of Pediatrics has accused federal leaders of downplaying the risk of measles and offering misinformation about the vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella. — Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026

Other chat logs included in the lawsuit also show ChatGPT dissuading Winters from seeking hospital care and downplaying Winters’ wife’s concerns about her husband’s health. — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 22 July 2026

He was called to testify as a witness at Rubiales’ criminal trial in February 2025, where prosecutors sought jail time over the kiss and alleged efforts to pressure Hermoso into downplaying it. — Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

The plaintiffs’ lawyers countered that Royal Caribbean was greatly downplaying the injuries the victims suffered. — Miami Herald, 9 June 2026

Fifield fired back at the New York Times in an X post on Friday for downplaying the story. — Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2026

Nilsson, an incorrigible Midwesterner, had a history of downplaying her depth. — Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett painted a rosy picture of the economy Sunday, downplaying Americans' growing pessimism about the economy amid high gas prices and rising inflation as the Iran war goes on. — Ford McCracken, ABC News, 31 May 2026