downplay

verb

down·​play ˈdau̇n-ˌplā How to pronounce downplay (audio)
downplayed; downplaying; downplays
Synonyms of downplaynext

transitive verb

: play down, de-emphasize

Synonyms of downplay

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Examples of downplay in a Sentence

Athletes often downplay their injuries. he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Most of the time after practice, players involved downplay the incident or don’t give it much credence. — Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Harbaugh, who said a few days ago that the Giants don’t want penalties, tried to downplay the sloppiness of the practice due to the excitement of being in pads. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026 But the Dodgers have downplayed the severity of that ailment and are under the impression that throwing doesn’t hurt it. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026 Journalists fought back Struggling to compete, newspapers in the 1960s and ’70s could have easily downplayed Agnew’s criticisms of a rival medium. — Heather Hendershot, The Conversation, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for downplay

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of downplay was in 1948

Rhymes for downplay

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Browse Nearby Words

downpipe
downplay
downpour
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Cite this Entry

“Downplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downplay. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on downplay

Nglish: Translation of downplay for Spanish Speakers

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