underplay

verb

un·​der·​play ˌən-dər-ˈplā 

underplayed; underplaying; underplays

intransitive verb

: to play a role with subdued force

transitive verb

1

: to act or present (a role, a scene, etc.) with restraint : play down

2

: to play a card lower than (a held high card)

Examples of underplay in a Sentence

Don't underplay the importance of exercise.

I thought she underplayed her character.

Recent Examples on the Web

The contributors underplay the overwhelming pressures of population growth and rapid urbanization in some parts of Latin America, as well as the growing aspirations of middle classes that current growth rates will not soon satisfy. —Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2020

This double character of Arte Povera—artistic innovation intertwined with political critique—is visible in the artworks, even if the curators underplay it. —Wilson Tarbox, ARTnews.com, 18 Oct. 2024

Nevertheless, this should not be an excuse for underplaying risks or panic peddling. —Cory Franklin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Oct. 2024

These systems, such as Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, process supply-demand data but may underplay geopolitical risks. —Guney Yildiz, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

underplay

verb

un·​der·​play ˌən-dər-ˈplā 

: to handle carefully

especially : to play a role without much force