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to downplay

to downplay

59 5.3
Show something as less important or serious than it is
  • verb
  • /ˈdaʊnˌpleɪ/
translation icon : restar importancia a
  • NASA is completely downplaying this.
  • downplay the importance
  • downplay the significance
  • downplay the role

That's because the Afd has at times downplayed Hitler's atrocities.

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Examples

  • So I don't think it's right to downplay their achievements at all.

  • To avoid negative reactions from others, many gifted children learn to downplay their abilities.

    Academic text (2008)
  • And you know, another thing, they always try to downplay black history.

  • Like he'll always downplay everything and then he'll just own you.

  • Why did you downplay your heritage to me?

  • For one thing, economic models tend to downplay the fact that as countries grow, growth gets harder.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Throughout her life, she consistently downplayed her own work in favor of her brother's.

    Academic text (1992)
  • And I will never dismiss or downplay the illnesses people have.

  • Decisions are made to emphasize one element and downplay others, to assert some truths and ignore others.

    Academic text (1993)
  • He tried to downplay the problem, insisting that everything was fine.

Synonyms

to diminish
vsto downplay
89 4.7

Make a person or thing seem less important

is about lowering perceived importance without implying harm to reputation
to minimize
vsto downplay
54 4.8

Make something seem less serious or important

covers the same act but without implying tone or motive
to belittle
vsto downplay
45 5.0

To make someone or something seem not important

is the neutral act of reducing importance without added disparagement
to trivialize
vsto downplay
  • US
28 7.0

Make something seem less important or serious

is similar but is used in any context, not only to dismiss value
to gloss over
vsto downplay
22 6.5

Make a problem or mistake seem less serious by leaving out details

is the general reduction of importance, not specifically by omission
to take lightly
vsto downplay
22 4.2

To treat something as not important or serious

is the intentional act of making something seem less serious rather than casual neglect
to understate
vsto downplay
18 5.2

To make something seem smaller or less important than it really is

focuses on the general action of lessening importance not measured size
to play down
vsto downplay
16 4.3

To make something seem less important than it really is

is the broad label for reducing perceived importance across contexts
to underplay
vsto downplay
6 5.3

Make something seem less important than it really is

is the general term for lowering perceived importance rather than a tactic
to extenuate
vsto downplay
  • Formal
5 8.8

To make a wrong action seem less serious to others

is broader, applying to any matter not only faults or offences
to soft-pedal
vsto downplay
3 7.6

To make a problem or bad news seem less important

is the neutral act of lowering importance without suggesting softness of tone
to deemphasize
vsto downplay
  • US
2 5.9

Make an idea or topic seem less important

is the general act of making something seem less important overall
to undersell
vsto downplay
2 4.5

Make something seem less important or valuable than it really is

is the general act of downplaying not limited to value claims
to pass off
vsto downplay
2 4.1

To treat criticism or an insult as not important

is the general act of making things seem less serious, not only insults
to underemphasize
vsto downplay
1 6.7

To give too little attention to something

is the deliberate act of making something seem less important
to underrepresent
vsto downplay
1 5.8

Show something as less common or important than it really is

is the simpler act of reducing perceived importance without numeric focus
to de-emphasize
vsto downplay
  • US
5.3

Make something seem less important

is the broad act of lowering importance beyond just emphasis choice

Antonyms

397 3.7

To show that something is very important

How Downplayed

to belittle
45 5.0
to trivialize
  • US
28 7.0
to minimize
54 4.8
to downplay
59 5.3
to play down
16 4.3
to understate
18 5.2

Surface Forms

downplay infinitive
downplayed past
downplayed past participle
downplaying present participle
downplays third person singular

Morphology

downplay = play (transparent) = down + play + down

The verb is formed by adding the productive down- element meaning 'reduce' to 'play', yielding the expected meaning 'to make something seem less important'.

Etymology

The word downplay comes from down ('lower') and play ('act'), like acting to make something seem smaller. So, to downplay something is to make it seem less important or less serious.