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
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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
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Examples of play down in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
Stokely repeatedly played down OnlyFans’ focus on adult content.
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Jemima McEvoy, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
The Lions have the ball at their own 36-yard line with two minutes to play down three points.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2024
Too often, benefits are exaggerated and risks played down—a formula especially dangerous for adolescents and those suffering from chronic conditions.
—Michel Van Harten, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
At a news conference in Brussels, EU Affairs Minister Janos Boka of Hungary played down the commission’s concerns.
—Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for play down 
Jemima McEvoy, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
The Lions have the ball at their own 36-yard line with two minutes to play down three points.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2024
Too often, benefits are exaggerated and risks played down—a formula especially dangerous for adolescents and those suffering from chronic conditions.
—Michel Van Harten, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
At a news conference in Brussels, EU Affairs Minister Janos Boka of Hungary played down the commission’s concerns.
—Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for play down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play down
Verb
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The lawsuits, several of which have been dismissed, have come despite no proof of actual widespread voter fraud.Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024
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Cannon dismissed the charges against all three defendants.Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 26 Oct. 2024
Verb
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So, the transformation must be both rapid and sustainable, featuring planning and implementation that avoids and minimizes risks and negative impacts.Jeff Opperman, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
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Dikmen said this minimizes the number of tanks required in production and utilizes certified green chemicals, allowing Soorty to significantly reduce its water use and produce wastewater with no residues so it can be easily recycled.Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The Coyotes got the ball back and faced a second-and-10 from the Mariners 40 when Llano made his interception and ran down the right sideline 55 yards for a touchdown, giving Pacifica a 45-28 lead.Lou Ponsi, Orange County Register, 18 Oct. 2024
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The 1,700-square-foot family affair is modern and minimalist in its aesthetic: A wooden communal table runs down the center of the room, flanked by small tables, and at the far end is the ordering counter and Jang’s pastry case, where the day’s balanced and earthy and citrusy sweets wait.Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Rogan during the interview downplayed the reports about Trump’s Hitler comments.Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
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Isom in the Thursday interview also downplayed the effect of Boeing’s problems on the company, even as the aircraft manufacturer reports a $6 billion loss for the third quarter and faces more labor unrest after the company’s striking machinists rejected its latest contract proposal this week.Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Misfits is a great example of a show for a teenage audience that respects its demographic rather than talking down to them.Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2024
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He was talked down and arrested about 4:15 a.m., Rulon said.Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024
Verb
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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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But Morrow’s quiet intensity, which doesn’t soft-pedal Isaac’s arrogance and belligerence, has a haunting quality.Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
Verb
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One light layer easily covered my mom’s redness, brightened her under-eye area, and diminished the look of dark spots.Cai Cramer, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
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However, although most women have higher levels of intimacy with their friends and better companionship at 19 than men, that intimacy diminishes throughout their 20s.Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Without action from Congress, the TCJA will expire at the end of 2025 and borrowers will be able to write off either loan no matter how the money is spent.Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024
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Both individuals and corporations would have been able to write off up to $1 million on their state income taxes, and the program could have cost the state up to $25 million in its first year of implementation.Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 29 Oct. 2024
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 5 Nov. 2024.
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