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

Relevance

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 Mudryk, a right-footed forward best known for playing down the left, is among Leeds’ preferred options and talks are ongoing with Chelsea, despite an initial knock-back. — Beren Cross, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 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 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

Petersen allegedly deferred to a male sergeant’s expertise on topics including firearms and internal affairs while dismissing Kennon’s expertise in other areas.

— Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2026
With the commander-in-chief and defense secretary now dismissing those reports as false, Congress should require a bipartisan committee of former military members to visit the ship.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of dismissing

Verb

What makes a roster a championship roster is scheming by accentuating the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses.

— Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
The yearlong closure allowed the park district to address multiple infrastructure needs at once, minimizing the disruption that would have resulted from completing the work over several seasons, according to officials.

— Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of minimizing

Verb

Sanchez added her record-breaker in the 78th, running down a long ball sent forward by Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and out-running three Angel City defenders before burying her shot.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Well, Bournemouth, the three points were yours in Manchester on Sunday, with the clock running down.

— Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of running down

Verb

Leadership training disputes The lawsuit alleges Petersen began subjecting Kennon to discriminatory treatment around January 2024, including talking down to her, ignoring her and questioning her judgment.

— Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2026
Any emphasis in his Jackson Hole address on his commitment to 2% inflation could help in talking down long bond yields.

— Sarah Min, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of talking down

Verb

But the war’s unintended consequences have spread far beyond the Middle East, affecting global security, diminishing America’s global standing, and potentially providing its adversaries with an opportunity to expand their influence.

— Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
As more money and attention flow into the space, the challenge is how to capitalize on the cultural cachet of the Grand Slams without diminishing what made that access desirable in the first place.

— Jessica Schiffer, Vogue, 25 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