1
as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
out of sheer envy, she would always play down her sister's accomplishments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to minimize
to reduce in apparent importance
if you play down your part in the project, you won't get the credit you deserve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 play down
In the past, that would be a trap game for the Lakers, who have a recent history of playing down to their competition.
—
Jovan Buha, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
What began as a strained attempt to absolve Mr. Trump of responsibility for Jan. 6 gradually took hold, as his allies in Congress and the media played down the attack and redirected blame to left-wing plants, Democrats and even the government.
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2025
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down the damage last week, saying that while Russia had expended significant effort in stabilizing Syria in the past, its current priority lies with the conflict in Ukraine.
—Marin Scott, NBC News, 14 Dec. 2024
But Macron's office nonetheless played down the significance of the invitation, saying other politicians not now in office had been invited as well.
—Sylvie Corbet, arkansasonline.com, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for play down 
Jovan Buha, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
What began as a strained attempt to absolve Mr. Trump of responsibility for Jan. 6 gradually took hold, as his allies in Congress and the media played down the attack and redirected blame to left-wing plants, Democrats and even the government.
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2025
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down the damage last week, saying that while Russia had expended significant effort in stabilizing Syria in the past, its current priority lies with the conflict in Ukraine.
—Marin Scott, NBC News, 14 Dec. 2024
But Macron's office nonetheless played down the significance of the invitation, saying other politicians not now in office had been invited as well.
—Sylvie Corbet, arkansasonline.com, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for play down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play down
Verb
-
She was dismissed in June 2024 after a run of seven games without a win.—
Asif Burhan,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
-
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
-
These factors work together to create a solid foundation for profitability and scalability, making these businesses an attractive choice for entrepreneurs looking to minimize risk and maximize success.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
-
Try to reduce high blood pressure, manage diabetes and cholesterol, avoid smoking, and minimize alcohol intake.—
Alyssa Hui-Anderson,
Verywell Health,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Curran appears next to Trump in a series of photos showing the former and future president returning to his feet, blood running down his face and raising a fist, prompting cheers from the audience.—
Michael Ruiz,
Fox News,
18 Jan. 2025
-
With the current threat levels, these groups are sure to be running down leads locally, nationally and internationally to mitigate any potential threat to the inauguration or any of the high-level people attending.—
Donald J. Mihalek,
ABC News,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Insiders have been downplaying the likelihood of Newcastle being busy on the incoming front for months and the window has matched those expectations.—
Chris Waugh,
The Athletic,
14 Jan. 2025
-
Others have downplayed the effects the recent wildfires could have on insurers’ presence in the state.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA TODAY,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
He was talked down in most of the cases by cabinet secretaries and lawyers — until the advent of the coronavirus.—
Zolan Kanno-Youngs,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2025
-
People want to be inspired by their president, not talked down to.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
Newsweek,
9 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
The new aid package swiftly follows Donald Trump's inauguration as president of the United States once more, and U.S. support for Ukraine could diminish soon.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
21 Jan. 2025
-
Corporate philanthropy, too, has diminished, which is a particular problem in a city where business leaders once took pride in making generous contributions to the arts.—
David Allen Jenn Ackerman,
New York Times,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Cramer suggested that for months, most investors fixated on the Federal Reserve and macro aspects of the economy, writing off the autonomy of good businesses and their ability to make money even in a less-than-ideal environment.—
Julie Coleman,
CNBC,
15 Jan. 2025
-
In its first battles around Pokrovsk this month, the 155th Mechanized Brigade reportedly suffered stinging losses—and may have written off some its hard-to-replace Leopard 2s.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
14 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near play down
Cite this Entry
“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20down. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share