1
as in dismisses
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 minimizes
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 plays down
Rhy made some huge plays down the stretch.
—
Christopher Harris, CBS News, 10 June 2026
But Edwards led the way with a big 16-point fourth quarter, and the Timberwolves made the key plays down the stretch.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 11 May 2026
But, powered by veteran guard CJ McCollum and some gutsy defensive plays down the stretch, the Hawks won 107-106 to even the series at one game apiece.
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The Hornets played great and made those plays down the stretch.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
Santos, who scored a career-high 31 points in the Warriors win over Brooklyn on Wednesday, made several big plays down the stretch.
—ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
Valanciunas is slow-footed and plays down the floor in pick-and-roll coverage, leaving the Nuggets more vulnerable to pick-and-pop bigs and other ripple effects of their help rotations around the floor.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
The senior forward had 18 points and made pivotal plays down the stretch, including a dunk, an offensive rebound and free throws to seal the game.
—Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
Crean Lutheran senior guard Nick Giarusso made the big plays down the stretch to help the Saints beat the Lions, 59-52, at Toyota Arena.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 1 Mar. 2026
Christopher Harris, CBS News, 10 June 2026
But Edwards led the way with a big 16-point fourth quarter, and the Timberwolves made the key plays down the stretch.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 11 May 2026
But, powered by veteran guard CJ McCollum and some gutsy defensive plays down the stretch, the Hawks won 107-106 to even the series at one game apiece.
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The Hornets played great and made those plays down the stretch.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
Santos, who scored a career-high 31 points in the Warriors win over Brooklyn on Wednesday, made several big plays down the stretch.
—ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
Valanciunas is slow-footed and plays down the floor in pick-and-roll coverage, leaving the Nuggets more vulnerable to pick-and-pop bigs and other ripple effects of their help rotations around the floor.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
The senior forward had 18 points and made pivotal plays down the stretch, including a dunk, an offensive rebound and free throws to seal the game.
—Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
Crean Lutheran senior guard Nick Giarusso made the big plays down the stretch to help the Saints beat the Lions, 59-52, at Toyota Arena.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 1 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays down
Verb
-
De Borbon dismisses the accusations as coming from a small group of disgruntled owners.—
Linda Robertson,
Miami Herald,
22 June 2026
-
Bisignano dismisses the criticism.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
This makes hair look silkier but also minimizes frizz, which a stylist once described to me as your hair reaching out to the sky for moisture.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
15 June 2026
-
Wear clothing that minimizes skin exposure to ticks when possible.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
With these two nations, expect a physical, fiery battle packed with relentless runs down both wings.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
16 June 2026
-
The hotel's Ajax Tavern, directly facing the mountain, has indoor and outdoor seating and is a great spot for a drink or hot bowl of soup (or, why not, a Wagyu cheeseburger with truffle fries) while watching people make their final runs down at the end of the day.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Even as Sand downplays party politics, Democrats are putting faith in him to blaze a trail in the state after struggling electorally in recent cycles.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
-
That's likely why Mindelle downplays that part of the gig, and instead focuses on the comedy that keeps her on her toes.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 June 2026
-
This greatly diminishes their taste and texture.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
The movie goes from this weird, seedy love motel to the industrial backwaters, and these long walks and talks down empty streets.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
-
The show never talks down to the audience.—
Rachel DeSantis,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plays down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plays%20down. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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