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
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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
The news came as BlackRock and JPMorgan played down fears of an AI bubble.
—
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
Epstein’s private island Lutnick has played down his ties to Epstein, who was once his neighbor in New York City.
—Stephen Groves, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
But what if Landry, who barely played down the stretch last season after injuring his knee in October, can’t get back to 100%?
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Mikel Arteta has played down concerns about the injuries suffered by Kai Havertz and Eberechi Eze during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
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
Asked if City are underdogs, Guardiola played down the label.
—Reuters, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026
Jim and Jeff have played down concerns after Meta recently lost two social media addiction court cases.
—Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
The industry is bracing for massive jobs cuts, which Ellison has played down and did again Friday, insisting the combined company will operate more efficiently but also grow.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
Epstein’s private island Lutnick has played down his ties to Epstein, who was once his neighbor in New York City.
—Stephen Groves, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
But what if Landry, who barely played down the stretch last season after injuring his knee in October, can’t get back to 100%?
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Mikel Arteta has played down concerns about the injuries suffered by Kai Havertz and Eberechi Eze during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
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
Asked if City are underdogs, Guardiola played down the label.
—Reuters, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026
Jim and Jeff have played down concerns after Meta recently lost two social media addiction court cases.
—Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
The industry is bracing for massive jobs cuts, which Ellison has played down and did again Friday, insisting the combined company will operate more efficiently but also grow.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played down
Verb
-
And that’s partly why Weltman dismissed coach Jamahl Mosley the day after the Magic were eliminated and also discussed Orlando’s roster needs — which, in his eyes, include more shooting and veteran help.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 May 2026
-
Adams dismissed this notion out of hand, with no small amount of hostility.—
New York Daily News,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Those fights faded once governments began delineating specific zones where such projects were allowed and impacts could be minimized.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Warsh also minimized the president’s threats against the central bank, asserting that the Fed isn’t actually in any immediate danger of being coerced.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The unlikely union lasted 10 years and the mutual admiration between the two famed figures never diminished.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
While the immediate flood threat has diminished, rain is expected to persist along the Mid-Atlantic coast.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Many community leaders and local officials downplayed the impact of SB 79 on San Diego when it was approved last October because the city had already done significant upzoning near many of its trolley stops, especially in University City and Mission Valley.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
The AfD has become more radical since then, and some of its prominent members have openly used Nazi language and downplayed the Holocaust.—
Nick Tabor,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Paul Marie ran down the right side and delivered a pinpoint cross to Judd, who ran between two defenders and redirected the ball past goalie Yohei Takaoka.—
Harold Gutmann,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
-
Ratzlaff won the ensuing faceoff, ran down the field and scored nine seconds later.—
Michael Huntley,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Baldwin also said district custodians are understaffed, supplied with broken or old equipment, have been denied language interpreters during meetings and are in general talked down to by administrative staff.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
-
There’s always a chance that Fetterman’s prospective foes get talked down from the ledge.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Played down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played%20down. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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