1
as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
out of sheer envy, she would always play down her sister's accomplishments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to minimize
to reduce in apparent importance
if you play down your part in the project, you won't get the credit you deserve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of play down
As left-footed, prodigious La Masia products, Lamine and Messi are often compared to one another though Lamine himself has been keen to play down such talk.
—
Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
The starkest example is the embrace of a revisionist telling of the Capitol riots that plays down the violence that Biden-era Justice Department officials labeled as domestic terrorism.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 31 May 2025
Despite the Knicks keeping things close throughout the game, the Pacers made the necessary winning plays down the stretch.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
The performance from Gilgeous-Alexander was highlighted by his play down the stretch.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for play down
Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
The starkest example is the embrace of a revisionist telling of the Capitol riots that plays down the violence that Biden-era Justice Department officials labeled as domestic terrorism.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 31 May 2025
Despite the Knicks keeping things close throughout the game, the Pacers made the necessary winning plays down the stretch.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
The performance from Gilgeous-Alexander was highlighted by his play down the stretch.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for play down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play down
Verb
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The lawsuit sparked a years-long legal battle that was ultimately voluntarily dismissed in late 2022.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
6 June 2025
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Congressional Republicans, many of whom had also grown annoyed with Musk over the last few months, have largely dismissed the billionaire’s fiery opposition to the bill.—
Phil Mattingly,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Here are tips on how to stay safe during a thunderstorm: To minimize risk of being struck by lightning, when going outside, have a plan to get to a safer place.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 June 2025
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Early detection minimizes the risk of complications.—
Sarah Jividen,
Health,
13 June 2025
Verb
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But while in the batter’s box and while running down that line, his fire burned just as hot as if there were twenty scouts in the stands judging his every movement.—
Dan Freedman,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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His white shirt is blood stained and blood can be seen running down his face and matted in his hair a crowd assist him to the medical staff.—
Hannah Parry
Barney Henderson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
Verb
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In it, a fortune teller (Vanessa Bayer) reads Tess and Anna’s palms and marvels at the fact that their life lines have intertwined in the past, while the mother-daughter duo tries to downplay that incident.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
6 June 2025
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But Glasnow downplayed the issue and plans to throw a bullpen session this weekend.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Some say the programs are too dry, or talk down to younger investors, or feel outdated.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
5 June 2025
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Status items such as $250 shoes are talked down to the $50 model, but an $800 bed for better sleep could be approved, Schuchert said.—
Doug Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In 2024, Paul Weiss didn’t soft-pedal its liberal leanings.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2025
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Goldberg Tuesday scoffed at the denials and efforts to soft-pedal the extent and potential danger of the breach.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The 25-year-old’s sample might be small, but in an era of diminishing workloads, Zack Wheeler and Max Fried are the only current starters averaging 6 1/3 innings.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
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Augmenting Human Relationships with AI AI's role in enhancing efficiency does not diminish the need for human expertise in B2B interactions.—
John Bruno,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Verb
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While surrounding states like Illinois and Minnesota have moved to the left, and Wisconsin leans blue, despite swinging for Trump in 2024, Iowa has largely been written off as a red state.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2025
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Before Trump’s 2017 tax bill, the constituents could write off their state and local taxes.—
Tobias Burns,
The Hill,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20down. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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