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
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
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
-
The panel, which Kennedy reshaped earlier this year by dismissing its members and appointing some vaccine skeptics, will convene Thursday and Friday in Atlanta.—
Adeola Adeosun
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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An Arizona inmate tricked court officials into releasing him more than two decades early by filing fake orders allegedly dismissing his charges.—
Suzanne Nuyen,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Like many of my favorite picks, these boots also utilize a wide toe box, minimizing blisters and maximizing comfort.—
Alice Bennett,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Sep. 2025
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This approach allows your team to learn and adapt, minimizing disruption for end users and ensuring a smoother transition.—
Rajat Bhargava,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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California lawmakers are running down the clock to craft a deal to renew the state’s influential cap-and-trade climate policy.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The midi dress included such feminine details as silver buttons running down the front placket of the dress’ bodice.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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The bond market got to this mode of downplaying inflation and embracing a dovish Fed phase before the CPI hit.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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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However, diminishing perceptions that a college education is very important have occurred relatively equally among both Republicans and Democrats, suggesting that other factors must also be at play.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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The threat for heavy rain in South Florida is diminishing, however typical scattered thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours are still possible in the area through the weekend.—
Kyle Reiman,
ABC News,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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Instead of writing off entire nations, development banks could channel financing to subnational jurisdictions that demonstrate resilience.—
Robert Ginsburg,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Playing down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playing%20down. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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