1
as in dismissed
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 minimized
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 played down
Valvano warmed up to Spud, who, once again, held his own in a league where MJ played down the road.
—
Kevin Sherrington
feb. 10, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
Head coach Andree Jeglertz dutifully played down any talk of a title being won with eight matches to go.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary with the Department of Homeland Security, played down the injury and denied the allegations in statements to The Times this week.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Ahead of the demerger, ter Kulve played down these risks, arguing that for years TMICC has evolved its portfolio to include more products with reduced sugar, higher amounts of protein or in which portions can be controlled.
—Ian King, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2025
Government officials played down the apparent military takeover and said the coup had been stopped.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
While Petro repeatedly promoted the idea of a return to Gran Colombia, his right-hand man, Benedetti played down the president’s rhetoric.
—Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
Freeman played down the epic nature of his homer to seal a game that officially lasted six hours and 39 minutes.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 28 Oct. 2025
While primarily utilized as a winger during his career, Dembélé often played down the middle for Luis Enrique’s side, spearheading a fluent and formidable front three, flanked by the dynamic Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
—David Close, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
Kevin Sherrington
feb. 10, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
Head coach Andree Jeglertz dutifully played down any talk of a title being won with eight matches to go.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary with the Department of Homeland Security, played down the injury and denied the allegations in statements to The Times this week.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Ahead of the demerger, ter Kulve played down these risks, arguing that for years TMICC has evolved its portfolio to include more products with reduced sugar, higher amounts of protein or in which portions can be controlled.
—Ian King, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2025
Government officials played down the apparent military takeover and said the coup had been stopped.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
While Petro repeatedly promoted the idea of a return to Gran Colombia, his right-hand man, Benedetti played down the president’s rhetoric.
—Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
Freeman played down the epic nature of his homer to seal a game that officially lasted six hours and 39 minutes.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 28 Oct. 2025
While primarily utilized as a winger during his career, Dembélé often played down the middle for Luis Enrique’s side, spearheading a fluent and formidable front three, flanked by the dynamic Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
—David Close, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played down
Verb
-
The additional charges were dismissed.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Obama dismissed those rumors, joking that if aliens existed and were being concealed, even the president was not in on it.—
Adisa Hargett-Robinson,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The strain of data centers on public infrastruction-power and water-is being minimized as they are built in Texas.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The report warned that neglect is often minimized within the child welfare system, where it can be conflated with poverty and social workers may be reluctant to penalize poor or minority parents who are juggling multiple jobs.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Wollenzien also points to the growing anxiety among professional artists about job security, as more than two-thirds of workers in creative industries believe that AI has diminished their employability in workplaces.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
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That diminished view of the Democratic Party in the AP-NORC polling is consistent regardless of Democrats’ age, race, ideology or educational background — suggesting that appealing to a specific group or two won’t fix the problem.—
Linley Sanders,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This film adaptation cut out the second half of the book, downplayed the violence committed by Olivier’s character, Heathcliff, and played up the romance between Heathcliff and Oberon’s character, Cathy.—
Becky Little,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The self-effacing Kress downplayed the moment.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors said Haney intentionally drove his SUV onto the Commonwealth Avenue Mall near the intersection with Hereford Street and ran down Axelrod, who was walking his dog at the time.—
Riley Rourke,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The piers of an unfinished, elevated toll road, the Skyway, ran down the center of one of the streets, Gregorio Araneta Avenue, which also happened to be the home of Manila’s new boom industry, a mile-and-a-half-long strip of funeral homes, florists, and crematoria.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After Jacksonville, after years of fans feeling talked down to and reporters feeling undermined, this silly little event served a purpose for a change.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
While Joan is visiting the Westside Hospital with her students, Michael (Omar Metwally) offers her the Chief of Internal Medicine position after she, not very subtly, told him not to hire anyone who is asking for it and talked down other potential candidates.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Played down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played%20down. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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