as in to minimize
to reduce in apparent importance
he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success
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Recent Examples of downplay
Trump's continuing effort to downplay Jan. 6 violence as 'day of love'
Approximately 140 law enforcement officers were injured during the riot, the DOJ has said.
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Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2025
Many prominent Republicans have followed Trump's lead in the four years since the attack to downplay the violence of the day.
—Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 6 Jan. 2025
The combination of Xbox already being PlayStation since last generation, and this new push to downplay Xbox hardware as necessary to enjoy Xbox games has resulted in the continued declines.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
Modi and many of his BJP allies have spent years demonizing cow-killers while at the same time downplaying lynching reports.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for downplay 
Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2025
Many prominent Republicans have followed Trump's lead in the four years since the attack to downplay the violence of the day.
—Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 6 Jan. 2025
The combination of Xbox already being PlayStation since last generation, and this new push to downplay Xbox hardware as necessary to enjoy Xbox games has resulted in the continued declines.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
Modi and many of his BJP allies have spent years demonizing cow-killers while at the same time downplaying lynching reports.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for downplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downplay
Verb
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Patient recruitment, a common bottleneck, is significantly improved with AI, which analyzes eligibility criteria and patient demographics to quickly identify and assemble suitable participants, minimizing dropouts and delays.Ariel Katz, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
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Through its Predictive Models that anticipate market trends, UME Tech empowers businesses to adopt effective strategies but minimize marketing expenses.Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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She was dismissed in June 2024 after a run of seven games without a win.Asif Burhan, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
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Both cases were dismissed following Trump's reelection in November due to a longstanding Justice Department policy prohibiting the prosecution of a sitting president.Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Jean-Baptiste, her mouth set in a tight-lipped frown, her eyes ablaze with fear and loathing, soft-pedals nothing.Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025
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The movie One of the darkest true stories on this list, An American Crime never undersells or soft-pedals the ceaseless agony of Likens’ ordeal.Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Downplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downplay. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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