1
as in dismissed
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
out of sheer envy, she would always play down her sister's accomplishments
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minimized
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 played down
The news came as BlackRock and JPMorgan played down fears of an AI bubble.
—
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
Epstein’s private island Lutnick has played down his ties to Epstein, who was once his neighbor in New York City.
—Stephen Groves, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
But what if Landry, who barely played down the stretch last season after injuring his knee in October, can’t get back to 100%?
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Mikel Arteta has played down concerns about the injuries suffered by Kai Havertz and Eberechi Eze during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Yet Trump has shown little interest in inflation and played down the rising energy costs caused by the war prompting Iran to effectively shutter the Strait of Hormuz to oil and natural gas tankers.
—Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Asked if City are underdogs, Guardiola played down the label.
—Reuters, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026
Jim and Jeff have played down concerns after Meta recently lost two social media addiction court cases.
—Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
The industry is bracing for massive jobs cuts, which Ellison has played down and did again Friday, insisting the combined company will operate more efficiently but also grow.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
Epstein’s private island Lutnick has played down his ties to Epstein, who was once his neighbor in New York City.
—Stephen Groves, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
But what if Landry, who barely played down the stretch last season after injuring his knee in October, can’t get back to 100%?
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Mikel Arteta has played down concerns about the injuries suffered by Kai Havertz and Eberechi Eze during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Yet Trump has shown little interest in inflation and played down the rising energy costs caused by the war prompting Iran to effectively shutter the Strait of Hormuz to oil and natural gas tankers.
—Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Asked if City are underdogs, Guardiola played down the label.
—Reuters, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026
Jim and Jeff have played down concerns after Meta recently lost two social media addiction court cases.
—Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
The industry is bracing for massive jobs cuts, which Ellison has played down and did again Friday, insisting the combined company will operate more efficiently but also grow.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played down
Verb
-
That lawsuit was dismissed in December.—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
For business leaders and investors, the May 20 vote should not be dismissed as symbolic diplomacy.—
Ingmar Rentzhog,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
The team concluded the term more accurately reflects the condition’s endocrine, metabolic and reproductive features while helping reduce misunderstanding for patients who have long felt their diagnosis was minimized.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
19 May 2026
-
The fire was extinguished on the roof, and damage was minimized.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Another theory suggests regulatory changes in China a few years ago appear to have diminished the availability of precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl.—
Mike Stobbe,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
-
The roles of China and Russia, as Iran’s allies, are strengthened; the role of the United States, substantially diminished.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
By and large, Republicans were also reluctant to weigh in on Netanyahu’s proposal, and several downplayed the impact in interviews with the Washington Examiner.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
16 May 2026
-
Bob’s family regularly told him that, of course, but Bob always downplayed it.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Sand fell out and ran down the sides of his face.—
Stephen King,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
-
But rivulets of sunblock still ran down everyone’s necks.—
Erin Tan,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Others described feeling they were being talked down to.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
13 May 2026
-
Baldwin also said district custodians are understaffed, supplied with broken or old equipment, have been denied language interpreters during meetings and are in general talked down to by administrative staff.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Played down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played%20down. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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