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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of play down
He’s got a good stick and an ability to close out on carriers, be disruptive and then advance and steer play down the ice.
—
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
The ability to create things when nothing is there, not only to escape but to create big plays down the field.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2025
Ultimately, Arkansas made more plays down the stretch, finishing the game on a 13-6 run of its own to close it out.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 22 Mar. 2025
Regardless of when or how their season ends, avoiding playing down to competition will serve them in the future.
—Kelly Iko, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play down
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
The ability to create things when nothing is there, not only to escape but to create big plays down the field.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2025
Ultimately, Arkansas made more plays down the stretch, finishing the game on a 13-6 run of its own to close it out.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 22 Mar. 2025
Regardless of when or how their season ends, avoiding playing down to competition will serve them in the future.
—Kelly Iko, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for play down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for play down
Verb
-
On March 4, the day the order to show cause was to be heard, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the case.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
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Heyman dismissed fans on social media who have failed to give Rollins his flowers, saying he’s seen pro wrestlers fail in the ring and seen praise on social media for them while others spout nonsense while ignoring historical facts.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In this case, following a low-FODMAP diet, which cuts out certain carbs that tend to create more gas and fluid in your GI tract, can minimize pressure on your intestines and the painful bloaty feeling that comes with it.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
25 Apr. 2025
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Use plants well within your hardiness zone to minimize the risk of losing a full-grown hedge to atypical freezes.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Chargers ran down the clock on their first-round selection, but the delay shouldn’t be interpreted as doubt.—
Thuc Nhi Nguyen,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Caleigh Mentzer followed that, running down a deep drive to center field by Ryann Rivero to retire the side.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The country subsequently downplayed the initiative, but has doubled-down on domestic tech development given U.S. restrictions in the last several years.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
18 Apr. 2025
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Kennedy downplayed diagnostic shift as a minor explanation for the increase in autism cases, but researchers have found that changes in diagnosis probably explain a majority of the increase.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The customer service rep who talks down the angry client.—
Ryan Wong,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
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Trump acknowledged in a Fox News Radio interview with Brian Kilmeade that Russia attacked Ukraine but still suggested former President Biden and Zelensky shared blame for failing to talk down Moscow.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In 2024, Paul Weiss didn’t soft-pedal its liberal leanings.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2025
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Goldberg Tuesday scoffed at the denials and efforts to soft-pedal the extent and potential danger of the breach.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Whereas a decline in home values diminishes the equity investors might hold in their properties, which limits their ability to leverage assets for additional investments or refinancing opportunities.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, a more constrained and domestically focused healthcare agenda is likely to diminish trust in federal health agencies, limit access to culturally competent care and produce a loss of global leadership in health innovation.—
Robert Pearl,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But that didn’t stop Biden from writing off more than $175 billion in debt before leaving office.—
Haisten Willis,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Apr. 2025
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To everyone’s surprise, instead of writing off Janine, Martin indulges in creative play, pretending to be a squirrel with a silly voice living in the tree.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/play%20down. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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