1
as in to understate
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Recent Examples of underplay
And David Rosenberg subtly underplays Alex, an American ex-pat who’s haunted by ghosts of his own.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Mainstream economists, however, believe Trump may be underplaying how damaging his policies could be.
—David Goldman, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
Some companies overstate the benefits while underplaying the hazards.
—Aimee Pugh Bernard, The Conversation, 28 Jan. 2025
Notice the costs of underplaying the conversation, which many tend to do.
—Hylke Faber, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underplay
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Mainstream economists, however, believe Trump may be underplaying how damaging his policies could be.
—David Goldman, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
Some companies overstate the benefits while underplaying the hazards.
—Aimee Pugh Bernard, The Conversation, 28 Jan. 2025
Notice the costs of underplaying the conversation, which many tend to do.
—Hylke Faber, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underplay
Verb
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Lead by artistic director Alessandro Sartori, Zegna presented bomber jackets, scarfs, casual button shirts, wool jackets, shorts, and trousers that were understated while providing luster to common silhouettes.—
Cassell Ferere,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
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The look was a classy, yet slightly understated, diversion from Princess Kate's past Trooping fashion.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
14 June 2025
Verb
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Fortunately this is a terrific cast that also avoids overplaying the melodramatic undertones here, keeping it believably human all the way.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
7 Mar. 2025
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Often the most formidable issue is the tendency overplay a ‘bot’s developing humanness.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Ongoing Challenges And Customer Expectations To its credit, SAP did not downplay the ongoing hurdles that its customers face.—
Robert Kramer,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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As recently widowed Irene Chao, Liu trades her signature strut for a self-effacing shuffle, using makeup not to accentuate her beauty but to downplay it.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Andrew Harnik/Getty Images House Majority Leader Steve Scalise formally introduced legislation to enact President Donald Trump's $9.4 billion rescissions package on Friday, setting up a floor vote as early as Tuesday.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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However, it wasn’t ultimately enacted by the last Congress.—
Dario Sabaghi,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The college student performers from the Hartt School aren’t encouraged to overact during the party scene anymore — no more drunk jokes or pratfalls.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Dec. 2024
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One could easily be accused of overacting, of doing too much.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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However, the dog might also be acting out of boredom, using destructive behavior as a coping mechanism.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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The new study explores an entirely different hypothesis: Maybe some bosses act out on purpose.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The Law & Crime Network has even used AI to help dramatize the trial.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
21 May 2025
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Renoir’s film dramatized the end of an era (of high-society frivolities, as war loomed), and so does Anderson’s; namely, the end of the age of buccaneer industrialism.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 2025
Verb
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Think in terms of deepfakes, where video and audio can be created to mimic the real user.—
Skip Sanzeri,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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King explains that the pressure applied by a pair of compression boots is meant to mimic the pumping of your leg muscles, which helps flush out those waste products and spur blood flow.—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underplay. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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