as in minimizes
to reduce in apparent importance
he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success
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Recent Examples of downplays
Govan, for his part, downplays the controversy.
—
Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026
Wicker argued that the blueprint — which downplays threats from China, focusing primarily on the Western Hemisphere — ignores implications of the Russia-Ukraine war and lacks information about interests in the Middle East amid the turmoil in Iran.
—The Hill Staff - 03, The Hill, 5 Mar. 2026
Writer/director Hammer, though, downplays the melodrama inherent to this scenario, even while shooting sequences, whether in Martin and Leslie’s apartment or in various hospitals, with a bracing handheld intimacy.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
The split between Pack, who went on to start his own venture firm Hack VC, and Dragonfly is the stuff of crypto VC lore, though Qureshi downplays the drama.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
The humble Toney downplays that nickname.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
This downplays the robotic look somewhat.
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … DEATH DENIAL – Top Iranian official downplays death toll, blames 'Israeli plot' as US considers strikes.
—FOXNews.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Stephan downplays comparisons to other counties.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026
Wicker argued that the blueprint — which downplays threats from China, focusing primarily on the Western Hemisphere — ignores implications of the Russia-Ukraine war and lacks information about interests in the Middle East amid the turmoil in Iran.
—The Hill Staff - 03, The Hill, 5 Mar. 2026
Writer/director Hammer, though, downplays the melodrama inherent to this scenario, even while shooting sequences, whether in Martin and Leslie’s apartment or in various hospitals, with a bracing handheld intimacy.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
The split between Pack, who went on to start his own venture firm Hack VC, and Dragonfly is the stuff of crypto VC lore, though Qureshi downplays the drama.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
The humble Toney downplays that nickname.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
This downplays the robotic look somewhat.
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … DEATH DENIAL – Top Iranian official downplays death toll, blames 'Israeli plot' as US considers strikes.
—FOXNews.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Stephan downplays comparisons to other counties.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downplays
Verb
-
Clean Your Tools Keeping your garden tools clean minimizes the spread of disease in your garden.—
Blythe Copeland,
Martha Stewart,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Foam’s ability to absorb movement not only minimizes sleep disruptions but can reduce strain on the mattress over time, especially for couples.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ohm, a cynical skeptic, dismisses their claims.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Evy is the skeptic who dismisses the noises as either an online hoax or bad plumbing.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downplays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downplays. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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