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
Relevance
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
Instead of taking a low profile and playing down any claims to Taiwan’s independent status like his more cautious DPP predecessor Tsai Ying-wen, Lai has lurched toward formal independence with a succession of speeches making the case for Taiwanese nationhood.
—
Lyle Goldstein, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
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
Lyle Goldstein, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playing down
Verb
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In the aftermath of the meeting, LSU personnel met to discuss the viability of dismissing the coach, considering his massive buyout clause.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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Comments such as these underlie the medical establishment’s long history of dismissing women’s pain, which can further harm their health.—
Tanya Lewis,
Scientific American,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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,
30 Oct. 2025
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The lightweight formula delivers hydration to your complexion, which is necessary for minimizing the appearance of scars and marks.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Armed police officers were seen running down the platform at the station, evacuating passengers while looking to neutralize any ongoing threat, British news agency PA Media reported.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
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Pullover hoodies tend to come in a greater variety of designs since manufacturers don’t have to worry about a zipper running down the length to mess up how the graphics look.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Huda issues an apology after downplaying the incident After initially downplaying the outrage over her reaction, Mustafa posted another statement on Wednesday publicly apologizing to Carthen.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
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As a book by the late Virginia Giuffre sparks new international interest in Jeffrey Epstein, House Republicans are still downplaying the need for a vote on releasing the Justice Department’s case files.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Never met someone successful ever talking down to someone online.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
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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
Verb
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Meanwhile, the returns on scaling up chatbots are, at present, diminishing.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
30 Oct. 2025
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Adopting China’s position in this way would be a blunder, diminishing Taiwan’s resolve to resist Chinese aggression and coercion.—
STEPHEN WERTHEIM,
Foreign Affairs,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Last week started with the big banks delivering strong earnings and ended with regional lenders writing off bad loans.—
Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
19 Oct. 2025
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The mistake is writing off these sayings as coach speak.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Playing down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playing%20down. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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