underplaying

present participle of underplay

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for underplaying
Verb
  • Oversight models that depend on static scoring risk understating true exposure.
    Bhavya Bhandari, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
  • The state championship results, combined with other recent high finishes for Pepper-Jackson, are at odds with Pepper-Jackson’s lawyers’ previous claims understating the transgender athlete’s performance in girls’ events.
    Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2026
Verb
  • Nurrenbern pointed specifically at the fact that Missouri legislators have barred city leaders from enacting stricter gun regulations, including how firearms are purchased and transferred.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026
  • Rocky was the inspiration of Illinois enacting the Rocky Law, which required high school districts in the state to provide insurance of up to $3 million for catastrophic injuries.
    Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • But critics have accused them of downplaying the risks.
    CBS News, CBS News, 12 June 2026
  • Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hinted Wednesday that the opening could be delayed while downplaying any concerns.
    Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Researchers in Australia have developed a neuromorphic vision chip that can see, process, and store visual information in a single device, mimicking how the human eye and brain work together.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
  • Trump regularly regales audiences with his prowess as a dealmaker by recounting conversations he's had with Macron about trade irritants, mimicking Macron's responses in an exaggerated accent.
    ABC News, ABC News, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • The statement accused Blake of acting out of retaliation for an incident that occurred earlier in the lacrosse season.
    Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
  • This natural state of paralysis prevents the body from physically acting out dreams, which could otherwise lead to injury, Drerup explained.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • As a 7-year-old, I’d entertain my father’s friends, at their weekly pickup game at a Bronx barn-house gymnasium, by imitating his game face—bottom lip jutting, eyes scowling.
    Sean Gregory, Time, 14 June 2026
  • Carol Channing reduced Shalit to tears of laughter with her tale of a London dinner party with Lady Astor and Sir Benjamin Harrison by imitating the latter.
    Chris Koseluk, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • The PayPal survey found that one in three Gen Z adults is taking on more work to afford their trips.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 22 June 2026
  • On Sunday, there’s a World Cup debutant taking on a powerhouse, two dark horses meeting in Texas, and two matchups that have plenty of intrigue despite flying under the radar a little bit.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • For Shorts, the label will appear as a small overlay at the bottom of the video itself, although that will add to the already cluttered look of the TikTok-aping Shorts.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026
  • There’s a word for this type of storytelling, and Taccone deserves credit for delivering a superior version of this without outright aping its most famous practitioner.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Underplaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underplaying. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.

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