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 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

Now with Jane Doe recanting her claims, Carter’s attorneys have filed a notice to the judge, dismissing all claims against her — though their case against her former attorney, Buzbee, still stands.

— Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2026
In previous orders, Kiir has alarmed observers by dismissing important officials.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of dismissing

Verb

There is now little doubt that minimizing the damage from climate will require phasing down fossil fuels and reducing livestock herds.

— Stephanie Walton, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
This unique combination maintains all-to-all connectivity while minimizing the typical pitfalls of atom movement, including error accumulation, atom loss, and runtime delays.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of minimizing

Verb

Edgar-Jones’s blouse featured gold buttons running down the front placket, creating a tailored effect that even evoked the type of white shifts men wore during England’s Regency era.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
Heat point guard Davion Mitchell has seemingly been anywhere and everywhere this summer, always in perpetual motion, burning calories, running down basketball courts and city streets.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of running down

Verb

In recent weeks, Mets fans have tried to rewrite history, downplaying his role as a leader, and Pete Alonso’s as well.

— Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026
The complaint suggested that OpenAI’s defense will likely be to blame Van Rootselaar for their violent inputs, while downplaying ChatGPT’s outputs.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of downplaying

Verb

Police chief Fuller is correct — talking down a place can be self-fulfilling.

— Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of talking down

Verb

This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf.

— Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026
Choose opportunities that expand your options without diminishing your excellence.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026