play down

verb

played down; playing down; plays down

transitive verb

: to attach little importance to : minimize

Examples of play down in a Sentence

out of sheer envy, she would always play down her sister's accomplishments if you play down your part in the project, you won't get the credit you deserve
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
One piece of good news for Arsenal fans is that Arteta played down fears over another injury to Ethan Nwaneri. James McNicholas, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025 Most large employers play down the likelihood that A.I. bots will take our jobs. Erin Griffith, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025 Green will need to back up this claim with strong play down the stretch of the season. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025 On Thursday, the village’s public works department was conducting an emergency repair from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., but officials played down the connection between Thursday’s repairs and the burst. Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for play down

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of play down was in 1930

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Cite this Entry

“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20down. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

play down

verb
: to attach little importance to : minimize

More from Merriam-Webster on play down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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