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
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 plays down
Mims made big plays down the stretch, too.
—
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2025
Standing at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Tyson has great speed and athleticism to make plays down the field.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Eventually, the Panthers will be able to make some big plays down the field with Horn extending his package of reps.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2025
Chapman the Seagull Chapman plays down his part in Brighton becoming known as ‘Seagulls’ by fans during the 1970s.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Proud of our players for making plays down the stretch in critical situations.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025
The two guards closed the fourth quarter in a close win over the Sky and star Angel Reese with each making dazzling plays down the stretch.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2025
Standing at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Tyson has great speed and athleticism to make plays down the field.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Eventually, the Panthers will be able to make some big plays down the field with Horn extending his package of reps.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2025
Chapman the Seagull Chapman plays down his part in Brighton becoming known as ‘Seagulls’ by fans during the 1970s.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Proud of our players for making plays down the stretch in critical situations.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025
The two guards closed the fourth quarter in a close win over the Sky and star Angel Reese with each making dazzling plays down the stretch.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays down
Verb
-
The anti-American side focuses exclusively on the tragedies, usually makes slavery the chief argument for the prosecution, and dismisses the triumphs as hypocritical rhetoric.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Some critics have interpreted the ending as a glib last-minute twist that threatens to neutralize the story’s potency and dismisses the seriousness of the movie’s premise.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Some dishwasher pods contain rinse aid, which helps with the drying process and minimizes water spots, while others don't.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Scholarly analysis of PragerU videos have found the content minimizes the impact of slavery and promotes misinformation on topics including climate change.—
Emery Petchauer,
The Conversation,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
This is the moment when Tyrique George runs down the right flank and sends a cross into the area, which takes a bit of a deflection.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Sharp runs down some of the more boldface-name contributions.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Continue reading … MIXED MESSAGES – Spanberger downplays Jay Jones' text scandal as Virginia election nears.—
,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Combs did not deny kicking or throwing Cassie to the ground, and even downplays these acts of violence, Slavik said in her arguments this morning.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Nov. 2025
-
When two parties are aware of a major issue that diminishes an asset and do not inform the third party of that asset, that’s strong grounds for a lawsuit.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plays down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plays%20down. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share