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
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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of play down
Yet Trump has shown little interest in inflation and played down the rising energy costs caused by the war prompting Iran to effectively shutter the Strait of Hormuz to oil and natural gas tankers.
—
Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
But, powered by veteran guard CJ McCollum and some gutsy defensive plays down the stretch, the Hawks won 107-106 to even the series at one game apiece.
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Asked if City are underdogs, Guardiola played down the label.
—Reuters, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026
Trump later attempted to play down the comparison while refusing to apologize to the pope, but Catholic leaders nonetheless protested loudly against the post, which was later removed.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play down
Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
But, powered by veteran guard CJ McCollum and some gutsy defensive plays down the stretch, the Hawks won 107-106 to even the series at one game apiece.
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Asked if City are underdogs, Guardiola played down the label.
—Reuters, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026
Trump later attempted to play down the comparison while refusing to apologize to the pope, but Catholic leaders nonetheless protested loudly against the post, which was later removed.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for play down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play down
Verb
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The court recommended that the petition be dismissed, and that the organizations be given one month to submit the employee lists.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
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Even the foundations of today’s artificial intelligence boom were laid by the NSF in the 1980s and 1990s, when neural networks were a backwater dismissed by mainstream computer science.—
Gautam Mukunda,
Twin Cities,
14 May 2026
Verb
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But despite assurances that the impact on businesses has been minimized, some groups still worried that the AI bill — despite its sections on workforce development and increasing AI knowledge — will ultimately create new burdens for businesses that could hamper innovation efforts.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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While Peters’ doctor had minimized the possibility of measles, the principal was concerned.—
Mary Beth Sheridan,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Witnesses saw the armed man run down the road toward Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
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The 2023 crew, for instance, came back to win just 27 times and came back from multiple runs down just eight times.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
Verb
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By and large, Republicans were also reluctant to weigh in on Netanyahu’s proposal, and several downplayed the impact in interviews with the Washington Examiner.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
16 May 2026
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Bob’s family regularly told him that, of course, but Bob always downplayed it.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Verb
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The contractors talked down to me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
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Others described feeling they were being talked down to.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
13 May 2026
Verb
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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
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This loud-and-proud version of Sonny certainly feels progressive, but in a different way it soft-pedals Sonny’s complications.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Page cited a combination of federal funding cuts, skyrocketing health care costs, diminishing enrollment and more behind the budget constraints, while local teachers cited local investment issues as well.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
19 May 2026
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Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2026
Verb
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The audience that’s been written off as fragmented when really it’s just been ignored.—
Daren Smith,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
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Clarkson, Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson and Jose Alvarado all could have been written off at points in their careers.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20down. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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