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
-
Three years later, Gayheart legally dismissed the divorce before Dane made his diagnosis public.—
Kim Willis,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
-
That citation was dismissed in January, according to federal court records.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
22 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
-
After 50, this step becomes especially important because the skin’s ability to hold onto moisture has diminished.—
Allison Palmer
Updated February 25,
Miami Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
-
But his joke during the phone call about also having to invite the women and the subsequent laughter from the men, which was captured on video and circulated widely on social media, set off a firestorm of criticism, with many expressing frustration that the joke diminished the women's achievement.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cain and Schon have often been at odds in court in recent years, but the keyboard player downplayed that in the latest interview.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
-
But that kind of disruption is quieter than mass layoffs, which is why it gets downplayed.—
David Stout,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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 28 Feb. 2026.
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