1
as in to understate
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of underplay
Fraud detection systems raise alarms over rare anomalies, while chatbots sometimes give dramatic but unlikely answers—underplaying the boring, common outcomes that are far more probable.
—
Ted Ladd, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
At one point, MacLachlan orchestrates a heart-stopping moment of reckoning for Bill and Tammy, written with a sudden, cathartic directness—a break in their usual language of deferential hesitations—which the actors underplay to perfection.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
None of this is to underplay the value of this agreement to Paramount’s streaming business.
—Josef Adalian, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
Whether this takes some of the power away from Trump or underplays the President’s fascist tendencies is best decided by those watching at home, according to Michaels.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underplay
Ted Ladd, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
At one point, MacLachlan orchestrates a heart-stopping moment of reckoning for Bill and Tammy, written with a sudden, cathartic directness—a break in their usual language of deferential hesitations—which the actors underplay to perfection.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
None of this is to underplay the value of this agreement to Paramount’s streaming business.
—Josef Adalian, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
Whether this takes some of the power away from Trump or underplays the President’s fascist tendencies is best decided by those watching at home, according to Michaels.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underplay
Verb
-
Kupp’s no longer the top option for his team, but the role he’s played in getting the Seahawks all the way to Santa Clara for Sunday’s Super Bowl can’t be understated.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
-
On arguably the most polarizing domestic-policy issue of the day—the state of higher education—his approach was understated, process-oriented, and effective.—
Andy Smarick,
Washington Post,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Successful vagueposters inject their posts with just enough dramatic flair to attract curiosity, careful not to overplay their hand.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
As evidenced by new sanctions on Russian oil, the seizure of Russian tankers, and the continuing flow of American weapons to Ukraine, Putin has repeatedly overplayed his hand with the president of the United States.—
Andrew Ryvkin,
The Atlantic,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When talk of protest or political conflict arose this week, Coventry tried to downplay it to keep the focus on the Games.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Yet, on Sunday, a Justice Department official downplayed the likelihood of any additional criminal charges.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The House passed a bipartisan housing bill that would enact new policies to boost housing supply and ease the affordability crisis plaguing the nation.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
-
It was initially enacted in Germany and Austria and then spread to 11 other countries.—
Jordan Green,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
On-screen, the speech’s prestige can overwhelm its existential subject matter, and the passage tends to get overacted.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
15 Dec. 2025
-
Snook and Lacy, who display such sharp instincts in their best work, seem to have been directed to overact; cameras freeze on their exaggeratedly bewildered or angry or devastated expressions, putting exclamation points at the end of too many scenes.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The plaintiffs claim the administration is acting out of racial animus.—
Miami Herald Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Read on to find out why your child may be acting out, and when to seek help.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
If the stakes in Olivia Ferney‘s social media videos aren’t high enough for you, Fifth Season is set to dramatize the ultra-luxury travel concierge’s fancy — and stressful — life, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The script stemmed from the desire to dramatize some situations and also the desire to shoot those scenes.—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Crafted from a cashmere-mimicking material in a drapey silhouette, this chic layer keeps you cozy without the itch or boxy fit.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Once activated with the magnet, these designs appear to move up and down, mimicking the motion of a laser barcode scanner.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underplay. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
