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
Maresca played down those reports at the time.
—
ABC News, 19 May 2026
But Edwards led the way with a big 16-point fourth quarter, and the Timberwolves made the key plays down the stretch.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 11 May 2026
The news came as BlackRock and JPMorgan played down fears of an AI bubble.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
But what if Landry, who barely played down the stretch last season after injuring his knee in October, can’t get back to 100%?
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play down
ABC News, 19 May 2026
But Edwards led the way with a big 16-point fourth quarter, and the Timberwolves made the key plays down the stretch.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 11 May 2026
The news came as BlackRock and JPMorgan played down fears of an AI bubble.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
But what if Landry, who barely played down the stretch last season after injuring his knee in October, can’t get back to 100%?
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play down
Verb
-
In December, Rozier requested that the case be dismissed, arguing that the government had overstepped by charging him with fraud.—
Tom Winter,
NBC news,
28 May 2026
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During sentencing, Baskin dismissed the argument that the devices were used for purposes such as exploding targets and fireworks.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Starry is propelled by my real and personal anger that these women’s contributions to the genre have been minimized or elided altogether.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
Doing so aids in minimizing confounding variables.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
As Roberto De Zerbi ran down the touchline in celebration of Joao Palhinha giving Tottenham Hotspur the lead against Everton on the final day of the Premier League season, one of his players was in hot pursuit.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
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The Lodge is technically not in Seattle—the converted seminary is located inside Kenmore’s Saint Edward State Park, an expanse of forest with trails running down to the eastern shore of Lake Washington.—
Harry Cheadle,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Koepele has a business interest in downplaying the danger in New York waters.—
Clara Molot,
Vanity Fair,
30 May 2026
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Asked about arms sales to Taiwan, Hegseth downplayed concerns that a multi-billion-dollar package could be affected as the United States draws down its weapons stockpiles amid the Middle East conflict.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
The movie goes from this weird, seedy love motel to the industrial backwaters, and these long walks and talks down empty streets.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
-
The contractors talked down to me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Analysts fault Harris and party leaders for soft-pedaling Donald Trump’s felony convictions and other vulnerabilities, arguing Democrats’ rational, low-negative messaging couldn’t compete in an election defined by rage and relentless attack ads.—
Steve Peoples,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
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Old school with a gift for storytelling, Simon was not one to soft-pedal his mentees.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Verb
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According to the alliance, the theme emphasizes the LGBTQ+ community's place in American society, calls for resistance against efforts to diminish their rights and visibility and encourages people to live openly, proudly and without apology.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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Confidence Doesn’t Require an Apology Corporate culture often reinforces self-diminishing behavior.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 2026
Verb
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At the end of season 5, Frank resigned as president amid his many scandals and was thus written off at the start of season 6.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
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No one was writing off Raman anymore.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20down. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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