Synonyms of played down

played down

verb

past tense of play down

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

• dismissed
• minimized
• diminished
• ran down
• talked down
• cried down
• dumped on
• criticized
• discounted
• put down
• wrote off
• kissed off
• denigrated
• belittled
• depreciated
• disparaged
• deprecated
• derogated
• decried
• vilipended
• denounced
• poor-mouthed
• condemned
• disliked
• trashed
• trash-talked
• bad-mouthed
• dissed
• scolded
• discommended
• disapproved (of)
• abused
• aspersed
• discredited
• maligned
• slandered
• vilified
• disgraced
• reprehended
• censured
• ripped
• reprobated
• defamed
• slurred
• traduced

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• praised
• approved
• exalted
• applauded
• recommended
• acclaimed
• magnified
• extolled
• endorsed
• glorified
• lauded
• favored
• sanctioned
• complimented
• commended
• countenanced
• eulogized

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

• minimized
• dismissed
• downplayed
• ran down
• talked down
• soft-pedaled
• de-emphasized
• cried down
• understated
• kissed off
• underplayed
• put down
• denigrated
• belittled
• disparaged
• depreciated
• derogated
• deprecated
• decried
• poor-mouthed
• trashed
• trash-talked
• bad-mouthed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• exaggerated
• overstated
• elaborated
• stretched
• embroidered
• overdid
• embellished
• padded
• magnified
• hedged
• overdrew
• overemphasized
• overplayed
• melodramatized
• fudged
• sensationalized

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of played down

Trottier played down the middle in both games in his first rookie tournament and handled himself admirably. — Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

With the Kroenke deal, the Angels will plug into a much larger sports and media ecosystem that should benefit the team that has always played down the road in Orange County in the shadow of the region’s beloved Los Angeles Dodgers franchise. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026

But Blanche played down concerns that the erosion of judicial trust could impede his efforts to advance his agenda. — Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Miami coach Mario Cristobal played down preseason hype around his team. — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 17 Aug. 2026

The industry is one of the key drivers of Indian economic growth and middle-class expansion, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has played down job displacement concerns. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Iranian state television earlier played down the outcome of the Iran-Oman discussions, citing a person familiar with the matter as saying an agreement between Tehran and Muscat would not necessarily mean the strait would open immediately. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026

Longer term, there has been speculation — which Lewis played down in February — that Diageo’s 34% stake in the champagne and cognac business Moët Hennessy may be sold to majority shareholder LVMH. — Ian King, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026

Yamal has always played down the comparison, focusing instead on being the best version of himself. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 July 2026