underplay

verb

Definition of underplaynext
1
as in to understate

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to overplay

Related Words

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 underplay Not to underplay the seriousness of the situation, of course, but the suspect never made it inside. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026 Sometimes the functional sibling learns to compensate or cover for the dysfunctional one, to underplay strengths or wear a mask. — Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 Though Shakespeare in Love won best picture, Spielberg’s film led a worldwide wave of remembrance for WWII veterans, as well as conversations about previous films underplaying the trauma of combat. — Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026 Cast against type, Stamos has fun slyly underplaying a thoroughly depraved character. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for underplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underplay
  1. understate
  2. overplay
  3. downplay
  4. enact
  5. overact
  6. act out
  7. dramatize
  8. mimic
Verb
  • The latest iteration opened in summer 2025, and true to Casetta’s signature style, the vibe is understated yet curated.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Fall 2026 is shaping up to be a major season for statement footwear, but one of the most polished trends, the high-vamp pump, is surprisingly understated.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of understate
Verb
  • Last season, Vítek Vaněček struggled in that role, which led the Mammoth to overplay Vejmelka for the second straight season.
    — Jesse Granger, New York Times, 25 June 2026
  • Campaigners, meanwhile, don’t want to overplay their hands.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 13 June 2026
Definition of overplay
Verb
  • Phuel founder and long-time CEO Garret Rock downplayed his current involvement in the company this week and declined to provide information on its current leadership.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But the professional class on Wall Street is downplaying that outcome.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of downplay
Verb
  • The change was enacted in the state budget bill and took effect July 1.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Americans kept lighting up, though, even after draconian federal and state anti-drug laws were enacted during the 1990s.
    — Bob Woods, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of enact
Verb
  • That secret shakes Charlie’s love for his intended, messes with work, affects his performance in bed and prompts him to spiral out, overacting at every step.
    — Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Adrien Brody can’t stop overacting in a commercial for TurboTax.
    — Dee-Ann Durbin, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of overact
Verb
  • Perhaps the threat wasn’t quite so dire, or its parameters were not well-enough defined, and the Secret Service acted out of a superabundance of caution.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Some children act out when they are stressed, worried or do not understand what is being asked of them.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of act out
Verb
  • The Trial of Louise Woodward will dramatize the story of Woodward, an 18-year-old British au pair who in 1997 was accused of shaking to death a baby who was left in her care by her host family in Massachusetts.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026
  • Two teenagers, aided by an arborist, climbed a 100-foot pine tree outside a Pasadena high school Saturday to dramatize a campaign to stop a soil remediation project calling for the removal of nearly 200 trees at several school campuses.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of dramatize
Verb
  • Made with biotin, shea butter, and beeswax, the mascara was formulated to mimic the nourishing, strengthening effects of a lash serum.
    — Micaela English, Glamour, 14 Aug. 2026
  • GLP-1s work by mimicking glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone in the body that regulates blood sugar, appetite, and digestion.
    — Jessica Starr, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of mimic

Browse Nearby Words

underpins
underplay
underplayed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underplay. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of balmy

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All