as in to highlight
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on
that TV news program plays up sensational stories just to get higher ratings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 up
Council Member Kimberly Holiday pointed out that Pflugerville has a monarch butterfly sanctuary project and the rest of the council agreed the center should play up that image.
—
Mason Rouser, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Her Wyoming outpost plays up summer entertaining and will be up-and-running through the end of August.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
And like that Tom Cruise sequel, F1 plays up the fact that authenticity, verisimilitude and a you-are-there-feeling can often make the difference between a fun afternoon at the moving pictures and an immersive adrenaline rush.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
Miles recalled standing in the crowded gym as speakers blared music and celebrities ran plays up and down the court.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for play up
Mason Rouser, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Her Wyoming outpost plays up summer entertaining and will be up-and-running through the end of August.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
And like that Tom Cruise sequel, F1 plays up the fact that authenticity, verisimilitude and a you-are-there-feeling can often make the difference between a fun afternoon at the moving pictures and an immersive adrenaline rush.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
Miles recalled standing in the crowded gym as speakers blared music and celebrities ran plays up and down the court.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for play up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play up
Verb
-
From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music.—
Griselda Flores,
Billboard,
19 July 2025
-
The stats that come out of this tournament aren’t always the most useful bellwether, but these performances highlighted a few areas of improvement for the remainder of the summer — cut down on overdribbling, don’t allow traps to fully close, move off dead ends more quickly.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
Verb
-
That said, many policymakers have emphasized taking a wait and see approach to monetary policy in the coming months as the economic impact of government policy plays out.—
Simon Moore,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Both organizations emphasized improvements made to welfare systems and reporting procedures since 2016, when Endemol merged with Shine, and again in 2020 when Banijay acquired Endemol Shine.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Bengals worth 'driving over 1,000 potholes' Multiple commenters stressed the importance of keeping the Bengals in Cincinnati.—
Erin Glynn,
The Enquirer,
25 July 2025
-
On Tuesday, Vietnamese prime minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed the need for enhancing economic diplomacy at an event in Hanoi.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
An official grand opening is set for Monday, Aug. 4 and will feature giveaways, along with a few surprises.—
Amanda Hancock,
The Courier-Journal,
23 July 2025
-
Northern Kentucky's newest bridge will feature three steel arches, reaching 58 feet high over the Licking River.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
The Enquirer,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Play up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20up. Accessed 28 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share