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
But efforts by Iran to downplay the Israeli attack faltered as satellite photos analyzed by the Associated Press showed damage to military bases near Tehran linked to the country’s ballistic missile program, as well as at a Revolutionary Guard base used in satellite launches.
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Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
Iran had initially downplayed the impact of Israel’s strikes on its military facilities, but in recent days has begun to voice increasingly belligerent rhetoric.
—Aurora Almendral, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024
Many Hindu nationalists, however, downplay or reject this scenario, in part because of its lingering association with colonial narratives about a race of fair-skinned Aryans conquering the region.
—Byvaishnavi Chandrashekhar, science.org, 4 Nov. 2024
In relationships with strong traditional roles, many women feel pressure to downplay or keep their differing views quiet to maintain peace with their partners.
—Erin Coulehan, Glamour, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for downplay 
Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
Iran had initially downplayed the impact of Israel’s strikes on its military facilities, but in recent days has begun to voice increasingly belligerent rhetoric.
—Aurora Almendral, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024
Many Hindu nationalists, however, downplay or reject this scenario, in part because of its lingering association with colonial narratives about a race of fair-skinned Aryans conquering the region.
—Byvaishnavi Chandrashekhar, science.org, 4 Nov. 2024
In relationships with strong traditional roles, many women feel pressure to downplay or keep their differing views quiet to maintain peace with their partners.
—Erin Coulehan, Glamour, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for downplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downplay
Verb
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Be sure your plan considers ways to minimize family income taxes over time.Bob Carlson, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
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Washing a potato before cooking is one way to minimize any risks.Lauren David, Southern Living, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Douglas, who was in the final year of his contract after being hired in 2019, was not consulted by Johnson when the owner made the decision to dismiss Saleh and replace him on an interim basis with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.Dennis Waszak Jr., Twin Cities, 19 Nov. 2024
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However, the atmosphere was calmer than the previous week when Corpus appeared to surprise the board by appearing in person at a special meeting to censure her and call for her resignation, dismissing the resignation demands as politically motivated.Ryan Macasero, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024
Verb
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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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Popular on Variety Navarro doesn’t soft-pedal her disdain for recent remarks former President Donald Trump has made about immigrants eating dogs and cats — just one of the hot topics Phillip and a shifting ensemble of pundits, reporters and experts tackle each weeknight.Brian Steinberg, Variety, 18 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Downplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downplay. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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