as in highlighting
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on
that TV news program plays up sensational stories just to get higher ratings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of playing up
On his Instagram page, Simonds appears to relish in playing up an overly-confident wrestler.
—
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
Repossi finessed the rose gold used in its latest spiraling Blast high jewelry pieces, playing up its yellow gleam under a gradient of orange gemstones.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
Lately, Laine noted, the WWE’s star villain Becky Lynch has been using some familiar-sounding language while playing up her status as a sore loser.
—Michael Ballaban, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
The cuddly canines and spirited mutts making up Team Fluff and Team Ruff will battle for the coveted Lombarky Trophy, while also playing up for the cameras in hopes of finding their forever home.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 8 Feb. 2026
Eighteen months apart, the two sisters played on the same soccer team growing up, Logan playing up one year and Sammy playing up two.
—Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Next-generation geothermal developers are staying the course but playing up the industry’s crossovers with oil and gas.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Jan. 2026
En route to his Week 10 assignment in Tampa in 2001, Fox’s lead NFL analyst may have been preaching to the choir—the reporter who took down those words was with the Chicago Tribune—but the big fella seated at the front of the Madden Cruiser wasn’t just playing up the hype man role.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Even as wedding registries shift and honeymoon funds replace fine china, antique case pieces and modern iterations of china cabinets are on the rise again—dovetailing with modern maximalism’s emphasis on playing up your home’s personality and the design world’s recent sweet spot for nostalgia.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2026
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
Repossi finessed the rose gold used in its latest spiraling Blast high jewelry pieces, playing up its yellow gleam under a gradient of orange gemstones.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
Lately, Laine noted, the WWE’s star villain Becky Lynch has been using some familiar-sounding language while playing up her status as a sore loser.
—Michael Ballaban, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
The cuddly canines and spirited mutts making up Team Fluff and Team Ruff will battle for the coveted Lombarky Trophy, while also playing up for the cameras in hopes of finding their forever home.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 8 Feb. 2026
Eighteen months apart, the two sisters played on the same soccer team growing up, Logan playing up one year and Sammy playing up two.
—Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Next-generation geothermal developers are staying the course but playing up the industry’s crossovers with oil and gas.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Jan. 2026
En route to his Week 10 assignment in Tampa in 2001, Fox’s lead NFL analyst may have been preaching to the choir—the reporter who took down those words was with the Chicago Tribune—but the big fella seated at the front of the Madden Cruiser wasn’t just playing up the hype man role.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Even as wedding registries shift and honeymoon funds replace fine china, antique case pieces and modern iterations of china cabinets are on the rise again—dovetailing with modern maximalism’s emphasis on playing up your home’s personality and the design world’s recent sweet spot for nostalgia.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playing up
Verb
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Here’s an alternative view of the same period, this time highlighting the key weekly moving averages (13-week, 26-week, and 40-week) along with a 14-week RSI in the bottom panel.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
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At least, that’s what TikTok’s most recent POV trend is highlighting.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Dalrymple says East Coast clients frequently want to use their outdoor spaces far into the chilly months, emphasizing wood-burning fireplaces and patio heaters.—
Megan Johnson,
Architectural Digest,
12 Mar. 2026
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What readers are saying The conversation explores the impact of a holistic understanding of AI on students' learning experiences, with many participants emphasizing the importance of foundational skills before delving into AI.—
Rebecca Winthrop,
Washington Post,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, expectations for technology stocks remain extremely high after several years of strong gains, and as tech firms are spending huge sums on AI buildouts which is stressing their balance sheets and cash flow.—
Krysta Escobar,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026
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On Monday, De Bremaeker strongly disputed the agency’s claims, stressing that the mother had complied with all directives from ICE and had attended all of her court hearings.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With the official arrival of spring next week, a new section of trail in Clear Creek Canyon featuring soaring rock walls and cascading rapids is beckoning Front Range runners, cyclists, walkers and families with baby strollers.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
11 Mar. 2026
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Check out our Sea Camp series and our limited run Sea Camp newsletter, featuring deep dives into research, cute critters and games!—
Berly McCoy,
NPR,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Playing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playing%20up. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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