playing up

verb

present participle of play up
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 up Vance has been playing up to MAGA lately, going hard on immigration and confronting reporters similar to his boss. — Joe Battenfeld, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 State Farm is playing up its personalized plans with a couple of spots that feature Mahomes, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid makes an appearance in one of the ads. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026 Boobie had also been playing up one — or two even — age levels. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026 Khusnutdinov, on whom the B’s are high, morphed into Sturm’s Swiss Army knife last season, playing up and down and all over the lineup. — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 Forty-three football-playing schools are playing up in class this season. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026 The fourth member of the household is Terry’s lurking aide, an androgynous aesthete named Steven (theater producer Jordan Roth, playing up the character’s feline strangeness). — Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2026 These athletes created signature shoes, playing up their personal stories in the marketing. — Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 Collins and Buddy Carter are playing up their conservative records on Capitol Hill, while former college football coach Derek Dooley pitches himself as a political outsider. — ABC News, 19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for playing up
  1. highlighting
  2. emphasizing
  3. stressing
  4. featuring
Verb
  • This is when the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale kicks off and lasts for a few weeks, highlighting thousands of prestige brands and SKUs that are normally never discounted—on Nordstrom or elsewhere!
    — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Single Americans who say income matters in a relationship expect a potential lifelong partner to earn an average of $139,000 a year, according to a new survey highlighting the growing role finances play in modern dating.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of highlighting
Verb
  • The search for a father and his 14-year-old daughter following last month’s discovery of a dead infant in Monterey County has turned into a rescue operation, with authorities emphasizing that the teen is a victim.
    — Jasmine Mendez Follow, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The film aims to reclaim its throne in the genre — emphasizing reboots and remakes — but doesn’t quite make the cut.
    — Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of emphasizing
Verb
  • Autistica offered a statement from its senior research manager, Michelle Newman, stressing the importance of accessible transport.
    — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Now, state officials are scrambling to get the word out, stressing how deadly the virus can be without immediate treatment.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of stressing
Verb
  • The publication grew under her leadership, and encompassed a more diverse range of voices, featuring the likes of Maya Angelou, Angela Davis, and Alice Walker.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The 29-year-old decided to become a botanical preservation artist and launched Bunga Karsa, a line of botanical jewelry and accessories featuring real flowers grown at her tiny University Park apartment.
    — Leigh-Ann Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of featuring

Browse Nearby Words

playing out
playing up
playing (upon)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Playing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/playing%20up. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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