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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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
Recent Examples on the Web
Many more have spread misinformation about the events of Jan. 6 — including characterizing it as an F.B.I. plot — or played down the seriousness of the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
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Karen Yourish, New York Times, 10 July 2024
Both systems end up playing down to two bronze medalists.
—NBC News, 9 Aug. 2024
While the Mike Trout-less Los Angeles Angels and the Colorado Rockies don’t exactly present the same challenge as the Atlanta Braves might, the Mets can’t fall into a trap of playing down to their opponents.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2024
In February, French President Emmanuel Macron promised — then played down his promise — to swim in the Seine in order to prove its safety, the Associated Press reported.
—Danielle Jennings, Peoplemag, 10 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for play down 
Karen Yourish, New York Times, 10 July 2024
Both systems end up playing down to two bronze medalists.
—NBC News, 9 Aug. 2024
While the Mike Trout-less Los Angeles Angels and the Colorado Rockies don’t exactly present the same challenge as the Atlanta Braves might, the Mets can’t fall into a trap of playing down to their opponents.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2024
In February, French President Emmanuel Macron promised — then played down his promise — to swim in the Seine in order to prove its safety, the Associated Press reported.
—Danielle Jennings, Peoplemag, 10 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for play down
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'play down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20down. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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