as in minimizing
to reduce in apparent importance
he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success
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Recent Examples of downplaying
More than half reported hiding or downplaying their identity.
—
Arielle Kaden, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
Kennedy dismissed a key panel of 17 experts who advise CDC on its vaccine decisions last year, replacing them with his own picks, many of whom have emphasized the risks of vaccines while downplaying their health benefits.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 25 Mar. 2026
Long-time host Chris Harrison was dropped from the franchise after downplaying one of those incidents in an interview with Rachel Lindsay — the first Black Bachelorette.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026
Critics of Mamdani accuse him of downplaying the complexities of the city’s vast dispatch system while understating the number of calls that require a police response.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
For now, Pritzker is downplaying any presidential possibilities and is trying for a rare three-peat to become the first Illinois governor to serve three terms since Republican Jim Thompson, who served during three different decades from 1977 to 1991.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Those quotes were used to provide context and avoid downplaying the role of slavery in the Confederate rebellion, according to a former Harpers Ferry media specialist who inserted them.
—Karin Brulliard, Arkansas Online, 3 Mar. 2026
There is no downplaying what’s happening here.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Advertisement As the negotiations advanced, Kushner and Witkoff suspected Iran was downplaying its existing ability to enrich uranium and build advanced centrifuges, according to the two officials.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
Arielle Kaden, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
Kennedy dismissed a key panel of 17 experts who advise CDC on its vaccine decisions last year, replacing them with his own picks, many of whom have emphasized the risks of vaccines while downplaying their health benefits.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 25 Mar. 2026
Long-time host Chris Harrison was dropped from the franchise after downplaying one of those incidents in an interview with Rachel Lindsay — the first Black Bachelorette.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026
Critics of Mamdani accuse him of downplaying the complexities of the city’s vast dispatch system while understating the number of calls that require a police response.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
For now, Pritzker is downplaying any presidential possibilities and is trying for a rare three-peat to become the first Illinois governor to serve three terms since Republican Jim Thompson, who served during three different decades from 1977 to 1991.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Those quotes were used to provide context and avoid downplaying the role of slavery in the Confederate rebellion, according to a former Harpers Ferry media specialist who inserted them.
—Karin Brulliard, Arkansas Online, 3 Mar. 2026
There is no downplaying what’s happening here.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Advertisement As the negotiations advanced, Kushner and Witkoff suspected Iran was downplaying its existing ability to enrich uranium and build advanced centrifuges, according to the two officials.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downplaying
Verb
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The serum is formulated with a holy grail powerhouse that consists of a fortifying complex, firming complex, and Matrixyl 3000—all pivotal for minimizing signs of aging.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
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Maybe so, but there's no minimizing the impact of size this week in Indianapolis.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Minnesota public universities can continue to offer in-state tuition and scholarships to some immigrants in the country without legal status, a federal judge ruled on Friday, dismissing a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice last summer that attempted to halt the programs.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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While widely dismissing the appeal, the Court also referred preliminary questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding certain aspects of the obligation mechanism, leaving the legal debate open.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downplaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downplaying. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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