as in to highlight
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on
that TV news program plays up sensational stories just to get higher ratings
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of play up
En route to his Week 10 assignment in Tampa in 2001, Fox’s lead NFL analyst may have been preaching to the choir—the reporter who took down those words was with the Chicago Tribune—but the big fella seated at the front of the Madden Cruiser wasn’t just playing up the hype man role.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Even as wedding registries shift and honeymoon funds replace fine china, antique case pieces and modern iterations of china cabinets are on the rise again—dovetailing with modern maximalism’s emphasis on playing up your home’s personality and the design world’s recent sweet spot for nostalgia.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2026
China, for its part, played up the SCO as a display of geopolitical confidence and an alternative pole of attraction.
—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Four were still playing up until the indictment.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play up
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Even as wedding registries shift and honeymoon funds replace fine china, antique case pieces and modern iterations of china cabinets are on the rise again—dovetailing with modern maximalism’s emphasis on playing up your home’s personality and the design world’s recent sweet spot for nostalgia.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2026
China, for its part, played up the SCO as a display of geopolitical confidence and an alternative pole of attraction.
—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Four were still playing up until the indictment.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play up
Verb
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Tokyo — Japanese fans rushed to farewell the country’s last two pandas on Sunday ahead of their return to China, in a departure that highlights strained relations between the two countries.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
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Hearings on the impact of AI on public education, as well as jobs, cybersecurity, privacy, the environment, and copyright infringement will highlight the issues and possible legislative solutions.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Anne Arundel County police said their investigation into the incident is ongoing and emphasized that its officers do not enforce immigration law or conduct ICE operations.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
13 Jan. 2026
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Researchers emphasize that the full scope of the outbreak among elephant seals may be far greater than current numbers suggest.—
Brian Hackney,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rising temperatures increase evaporation, further stressing a watershed already under pressure from growth and development.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
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Researchers stress this is only an association, and the benefit may reflect overall diet patterns rather than cheese itself.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Health,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The logo featured a black background with the Southern Cross constellation in white stars.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Jan. 2026
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All products featured on Bon Appétit are independently selected by our editors.—
Noah Kaufman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Play up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20up. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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