PLAYING DOWN Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

playing down

verb

present participle of play down

as in dismissing

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

as in minimizing

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

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 playing down In response to the concerns, companies including Amazon and Microsoft have been playing down the issue, saying the data center water use can be done responsibly, or sourced from wastewater. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026 If a team has one or zero subs left, a red-card offence would result in them playing down a man. — The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 22 July 2026 Mexico pledged to investigate the origins of the parasite outbreak, while playing down the idea that contamination occurred in its territory. — Jaewon Kang, Fortune, 18 July 2026 The game was in the 112th minute when Alvarez scored, a testimony to Switzerland’s outstanding defense, playing down a man since the 72nd minute. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026 The host nation won comfortably despite playing down a man from the 64th minute on. — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026 Senegal has pressured Iraq, which is again playing down a man, but hasn't had many quality chances on net. — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 27 June 2026 Ohtani was out of the lineup for the series opener against the Orioles, but the Dodgers did not opt to put him on the paternity list, temporarily playing down a player instead. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026 But after his early doom-laden predictions, Altman may now be an outlier among industry leaders in playing down the impact on work. — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 26 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for playing down

Verb

In the filing, the Justice Department urged the appeals court to reverse the Tennessee federal judge’s ruling dismissing criminal charges against Abrego Garcia.

— Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
The book resuscitates the childhood feeling that most of us spend our lives tamping down and dismissing, if not completely extinguishing.

— Chris Ware, The New York Review of Books, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of dismissing

Verb

That’s no problem for them, because the failures occur years after the discussions, minimizing the political risk to those who voted for these misguided plans.

— Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026
Patagonia, for example, has long organized itself around a commitment to minimizing its impact on the planet.

— Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of minimizing

Verb

For decades, El Capitan has kicked off the high school football season with the Vaquero Run, with players running down Maine Avenue in Lakeside.

— John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Ace also has video of him running down the speedy Deshonne Redeaux last season to prevent a touchdown against Oaks Christian.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of running down

Verb

The Malheur standoff also drew in the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team, which Northern California sheriffs credited for talking down the Henrichsens and ending last month’s kidnapping without bloodshed.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 9 Aug. 2026
In a daring high-wire act high above the East River, fearless NYPD cops spent nearly an hour on a span of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge talking down a woman desperately threatening to jump.

— Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026

Definition of talking down

Verb

In the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, France's initial mediating role gave way to a pro-Armenia stance, alienating Baku and diminishing its leverage with Yerevan, which now increasingly favors the US.

— Kamran Bokhari, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
During Anahulu Ho Emi, the third and final phase, the focus is diminishing, surrendering and reflecting.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of diminishing

Verb

But as his brace against Uzbekistan showed, writing off Ronaldo remains a dangerous mistake.

— Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
So, before writing off a sluggish job candidate search as a market issue, take a hard look at the listing itself, from the title to the requirements, the compensation and the hiring process.

— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 23 June 2026