played down

past tense of play down

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of played down Comcast executives on the analyst call played down the notion that the two companies were being positioned for another deal. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 Rutte confirmed the drawdown but played down its impact. Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 18 June 2026 Claims of an arrangement along those lines have been played down at the Newcastle end. David Ornstein, New York Times, 16 June 2026 Advertisement New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, himself a long-suffering Knicks fan who attended a playoff game on May 21, has played down the chances of Gotham City-style meltdown. Rebecca Schneid, Time, 27 May 2026 But Rubio played down the issue. Lorne Cook, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026 But Adcock initially played down expectations by noting that the Figure team was aiming for the robots to work for eight hours straight, whereas a previous Figure demo had lasted just one hour. Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 20 May 2026 Maresca played down those reports at the time. ABC News, 19 May 2026 The news came as BlackRock and JPMorgan played down fears of an AI bubble. Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played down
Verb
  • Jason Melara’s attorney, Andrew Stein, asked the two murder charges be dismissed, telling Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Curtis Rappe there was no evidence his client pointed a gun at Aguilar.
    Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • In 2023, researchers at MIT and elsewhere proposed that the bright white chunks scattered throughout Roman concrete—known as lime clasts and long dismissed as evidence of incomplete mixing—could help explain the material’s self-healing properties.
    Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 11 July 2026
Verb
  • In Lunas Campos’ case, officials from the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, initially minimized the incident that led to his death, pointing to his criminal history.
    Perla Trevizo, ProPublica, 3 July 2026
  • Context that undermines sensational allegations is minimized.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • The union said that unresolved complaints made against Hawk and existing climate issues have significantly diminished confidence among many educators.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026
  • Mason, 22, is now hailed as a rising superstar, while Bell's championship aspirations may have diminished.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • Still, Donovan said that the accomplishment of passing bipartisan housing affordability legislation with an overwhelming majority shouldn’t be downplayed.
    Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Though Iranian officials have downplayed reports of his injuries, no photo or audio recording of him has been released.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 11 July 2026
Verb
  • The Kelce brothers once ran down their favorite fast-food burgers, and apparently, Burger King is tops.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026
  • Maria, 32, grabbed her phone and ran down the stairs barefoot.
    Philip Wang, Time, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • The contractors talked down to me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
  • Others described feeling they were being talked down to.
    Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2026

Cite this Entry

“Played down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played%20down. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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