PLAY DOWN Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

play down

verb

Definition of play down

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 down Longer term, there has been speculation — which Lewis played down in February — that Diageo’s 34% stake in the champagne and cognac business Moët Hennessy may be sold to majority shareholder LVMH. — Ian King, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 Wang plays down the potential for renegade robots to wreak havoc. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 July 2026 Weber’s account does not play down the violence and humiliation of the process. — Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 One thing O’Connell and Withers agreed upon early on was to play down the appearance of Cyrano’s nose. — David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for play down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for play down

Verb

But by the time of his indictment, Lorch was in failing health and found incompetent to stand trial, and lawsuits against him and the church were dismissed due to statute of limitations issues.

— Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 13 Aug. 2026
The lawsuit was dismissed Monday without prejudice, meaning the case may be filed again.

— Riley Moser, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of dismiss

Verb

The buffers that have minimized the disruption so far will hold for only so long and must be reinforced if the world is to endure future shocks.

— Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
Some formulas do even more than volumize—doubling as heat protectants or incorporating ingredients designed to help minimize damage.

— Iman Balagam, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of minimize

Verb

Garner, who was photographed separately at the store, embraced an athleisure style moment with a pair of forest green leggings with white stripes running down the sides.

— Lara Walsh, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
The Reds rallied from three runs down in the eighth inning after White Sox starter Sean Burke allowed only one run on three hits in seven innings.

— CBS News, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of run down

Verb

The Malheur standoff also drew in the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team, which Northern California sheriffs credited for talking down the Henrichsens and ending last month’s kidnapping without bloodshed.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 9 Aug. 2026
The influencer, or their manager, already expects to be talked down.

— Chris Ryan, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026

Definition of talk down

Verb

Its screenplay, which Dolan hatched in collaboration with three others, tries to soft-pedal predictable beats that nonetheless end up the only ones getting beaten.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
But Paddy’s isn’t Sudz, and the Gang’s efforts to soft-pedal their antics to be more in line with those mainstream bars devolved into typical Sunny-style hostility and off-putting grossness.

— Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026

Definition of soft-pedal

Verb

The term refers to when tobacco companies in the 1990s were forced to pay billions of dollars for misleading the public about the safety and potential harms of their products, and subsequently saw their power and influence dramatically diminished.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
The filter significantly diminishes elements commonly found in water that can be damaging, like chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, heavy metals, and more.

— Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2026