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
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
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
-
Each side dismisses the other's contention.—
Todd Spangler,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Trump dismisses Republican mayoral hopeful as Giuliani allies support Cuomo.—
,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Much like a soccer team employing zonal marking on a corner kick or free kick, going zone against a baseline out of bounds (BLOB) or sideline out of bounds (SLOB) play simplifies the defensive assignments and minimizes the impact of the opponent's crossing and screening actions.—
Jim Root,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Formula-wise, stabilized retinal is super gentle and minimizes irritation, while ginseng brightens and boosts circulation, and glycerin supports the skin barrier.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Rosie runs down the road to greet her owner.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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Forbes senior contributor Dave Altavilla runs down the tech specs of the new platform and its developer tools.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Even as Vancouver publicly downplays its conviction about Cootes, internally, the conversation around him is beginning to shift materially.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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The film’s overall low-key tenor downplays both moral judgment and conspicuous style, though neither are entirely lacking.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plays down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plays%20down. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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