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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Recent Examples of playing up
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
And Fosse emphasized Snider’s Fosse-like qualities, playing up Snider’s creative side.
—Lili Anolik, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
Nails will be modern and cool, playing up your aesthetic without overpowering it.
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
Williams said the challenging part of the series was playing up the rivalry between his character and his co-star and onscreen love interest, Ilya Rozanov, played by Connor Storrie.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
That dichotomy – Bianco focusing on genuine crime and Democrats playing up their opposition to Trump’s crime and immigration tactics – is worth noting.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 29 Dec. 2025
Also, Tua Tagovailoa was told this week to stop thinking and just play and the team practiced playing up tempo more.
—Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
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
And Fosse emphasized Snider’s Fosse-like qualities, playing up Snider’s creative side.
—Lili Anolik, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
Nails will be modern and cool, playing up your aesthetic without overpowering it.
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
Williams said the challenging part of the series was playing up the rivalry between his character and his co-star and onscreen love interest, Ilya Rozanov, played by Connor Storrie.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
That dichotomy – Bianco focusing on genuine crime and Democrats playing up their opposition to Trump’s crime and immigration tactics – is worth noting.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 29 Dec. 2025
Also, Tua Tagovailoa was told this week to stop thinking and just play and the team practiced playing up tempo more.
—Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playing up
Verb
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Investigators also identified at least one suspect who was allegedly communicating with an overseas supplier based in China, highlighting the international reach of modern drug trafficking networks.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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There will be a total of four candles to collect, each highlighting Reese’s Book Club picks.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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An evening revue of wild, uncouth performance art by local artists, emphasizing work that is often discouraged elsewhere.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
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To that end, Murphy invoked Rule 38 while emphasizing that she was offended by Durkan’s remark about her lack of preparation for the meeting.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The changes are affecting routes to Israel, parts of the GCC, and Jordan, with airlines stressing that the measures are precautionary and subject to constant operational review.—
Hana Al-Khodairi,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Jan. 2026
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In both instances, Copenhagen and the Greenlandic government in its capital Nuuk responded by expressing openness to further collaboration, stressing the importance of sovereignty and dispatching a high-level delegation for talks in Washington.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Those who find themselves head over heels for the heel component of the Nova-Shaft would be wise to invest in the Nova sans Shaft — called the Nova Dress Sandal, to be exact, and featuring a unique padded detail at the back.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
4 Feb. 2026
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As Hawk’s handlers, Bomer and Diaz learn that a mysterious and incriminating video featuring the actor may come to light.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Playing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playing%20up. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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