1
as in understating
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2
as in overplaying
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underplaying
Verb
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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
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Nilsson, an incorrigible Midwesterner, had a history of downplaying her depth.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett painted a rosy picture of the economy Sunday, downplaying Americans' growing pessimism about the economy amid high gas prices and rising inflation as the Iran war goes on.—
Ford McCracken,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
Verb
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The council is responsible for adopting the city budget, approving contracts, enacting local laws and representing residents on issues ranging from housing and homelessness to public safety and economic development.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
3 June 2026
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The law prevents cities from enacting ordinances that dictate wage levels or working hours for employers.—
DJ Simmons,
Charlotte Observer,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Instead, pluralism, naturally associated with diversity and popular agency, was made into the cultural face of capitalism—it was branded as a false openness mimicking the free market, as a flattening that might cause art and art history to lose the threads of progress and quality.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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Inspired by wetland plants like mangroves, 12-year-old Ella Barth and Esme Tsai’s prototype glass funnel uses layers of coffee filter paper, gravel, sand, ion exchange resin, charcoal and cotton, mimicking a natural filtration process to help rid local tap water of its chalky taste.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Verb
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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
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Rather than acting out on the anger, take a calming moment with some deep breaths, and think about the possibility that your partner was possibly distracted or stressed out.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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In a case of life imitating art, this whodunnit explores the investigation behind her disappearance, strangely resembling one of Christie’s own novels, where everyone in her life becomes a suspect, including her brother, Monty (Trevena).—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
1 June 2026
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Zoe, born seven years later, grew up watching them, imitating them and wanting to be them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Verb
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With the recent expense of the new house, Alysha was worried about taking on another large financial commitment.—
Meghan O'Brien,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
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McCaul also raised alarm about the timing of Pulte taking on the role, which comes just before America 250 celebrations and the 2026 World Cup games.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
7 June 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Underplaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underplaying. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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