1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of playing down
Before this weekend’s game, Town manager Gavin Macpherson was playing down the rivalry.
—
Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
After a week of playing down to – and then slightly lower than – their last-place opponents, the Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies with a 9-0 victory on Wednesday night.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 11 Sep. 2025
There’s usually a physical requirement, as well as severely playing down the high-wattage glamor that got you on red carpets in the first place.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2025
The Chiefs know something about playing down a man or two at the position.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2025
Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
After a week of playing down to – and then slightly lower than – their last-place opponents, the Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies with a 9-0 victory on Wednesday night.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 11 Sep. 2025
There’s usually a physical requirement, as well as severely playing down the high-wattage glamor that got you on red carpets in the first place.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2025
The Chiefs know something about playing down a man or two at the position.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playing down
Verb
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Dills encourages parents to explore and research their options before dismissing Montessori education.—
Katrina Donham,
Parents,
23 Sep. 2025
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Not too long ago, Western markets were subtly dismissing Chinese cars for coming off as bargain-basement alternatives.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Keeping your hands free while solo and on the move enhances alertness by minimizing distractions and improves reaction time for unexpected situations.—
Kristy Alpert,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Sep. 2025
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Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As for her footwear, Taylor went with dramatic platforms in a shade of military green, featuring silver mary jane-style buckles and laces running down the front.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
24 Sep. 2025
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He could be seen excitedly running down the Philly sideline while gesturing to his groin.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Continue reading … TRUTH ON TRIAL – UN blasted for report accusing Israel of genocide while downplaying Hamas terror.—
,
FOXNews.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Musk has been downplaying the bad numbers by trying to shift investors’ focus to Tesla’s other business of making robots and advances in the artificial intelligence behind its cars and robotaxis.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Worldfor never talking down to me or being too afraid to address the hard things in life.—
Anna Earl,
Parents,
11 Sep. 2025
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Boys Go to Jupiter captures an adolescent malaise without talking down to its teens — there is no preaching about real jobs, responsibilities, or five-year plans.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Football, it could be argued, is diminishing its worth by almost never taking a break and playing virtually year-round.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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Advertisement Risks of multivitamins Many of us grew up striving for 100% on every test, but overachieving with multivitamins comes with risk—diminishing their benefits or causing harmful side effects.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The mistake is writing off these sayings as coach speak.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
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No one is writing off the Lions by any means (Detroit and Green Bay have the shortest odds to win the NFC after Philadelphia).—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Playing down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playing%20down. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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