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
Continue reading … MIXED MESSAGES – Spanberger downplays Jay Jones' text scandal as Virginia election nears.
—
FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Combs did not deny kicking or throwing Cassie to the ground, and even downplays these acts of violence, Slavik said in her arguments this morning.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 3 Oct. 2025
Even as Vancouver publicly downplays its conviction about Cootes, internally, the conversation around him is beginning to shift materially.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
The film’s overall low-key tenor downplays both moral judgment and conspicuous style, though neither are entirely lacking.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
The piece downplays opposition.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Sep. 2025
Critics argue this approach lacks clarity and downplays the importance of protecting vulnerable populations.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
Leavitt's wording downplays the chances of a breakthrough on a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 13 Aug. 2025
The hundred-and-forty-one-page assessment downplays the dangers from climate change, sometimes in ways that seem contradicted by the document’s own figures.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Combs did not deny kicking or throwing Cassie to the ground, and even downplays these acts of violence, Slavik said in her arguments this morning.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 3 Oct. 2025
Even as Vancouver publicly downplays its conviction about Cootes, internally, the conversation around him is beginning to shift materially.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
The film’s overall low-key tenor downplays both moral judgment and conspicuous style, though neither are entirely lacking.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
The piece downplays opposition.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Sep. 2025
Critics argue this approach lacks clarity and downplays the importance of protecting vulnerable populations.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
Leavitt's wording downplays the chances of a breakthrough on a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 13 Aug. 2025
The hundred-and-forty-one-page assessment downplays the dangers from climate change, sometimes in ways that seem contradicted by the document’s own figures.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downplays
Verb
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Some dishwasher pods contain rinse aid, which helps with the drying process and minimizes water spots, while others don't.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Nov. 2025
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Scholarly analysis of PragerU videos have found the content minimizes the impact of slavery and promotes misinformation on topics including climate change.—
Emery Petchauer,
The Conversation,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The anti-American side focuses exclusively on the tragedies, usually makes slavery the chief argument for the prosecution, and dismisses the triumphs as hypocritical rhetoric.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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Some critics have interpreted the ending as a glib last-minute twist that threatens to neutralize the story’s potency and dismisses the seriousness of the movie’s premise.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downplays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downplays. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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