play down

verb

played down; playing down; plays down
Synonyms of play downnext

transitive verb

: to attach little importance to : minimize
He humbly played down his role in the research.

Synonyms of play down

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Examples of play down in a Sentence

out of sheer envy, she would always play down her sister's accomplishments if you play down your part in the project, you won't get the credit you deserve
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.
The president of the European Central Bank played down speculation about intervention in France’s ballooning budget crisis on Wednesday. — John Liu, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 Russia's government played down concerns Monday sparked by media reports that a female scientist in Siberia might have died of exposure to the plague after a lab accident. — Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026 So there’s a chance to get some plays down the field for the Panthers. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026 The hearing officer noted that Marx, in a July podcast interview, had played down the violations and claimed the campaign was aware of them before the complaints began to mount. — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for play down

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of play down was in 1930

Rhymes for play down

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Browse Nearby Words

play doctor
play down
play ducks and drakes with
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Cite this Entry

“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20down. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

play down

verb
: to attach little importance to : minimize
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