play down

verb

played down; playing down; plays down

transitive verb

: to attach little importance to : minimize

Examples of play down in a Sentence

out of sheer envy, she would always play down her sister's accomplishments if you play down your part in the project, you won't get the credit you deserve
Recent Examples on the Web American, Russian and Cuban officials all played down the visit. Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 19 June 2024 Rather than threatening escalation in response to Ukraine’s strikes, the Kremlin has tended to play down their effects to avoid embarrassment. Michael Liebreich, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 2024 Asked about the Reuters report, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin played down any risk to American troops or the chance that Russian troops might get close to U.S. military hardware. Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 May 2024 Rice is the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and a player who caught the Chargers’ attention in part because of his ability to make plays down the field. Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for play down 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'play down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of play down was in 1930

Dictionary Entries Near play down

Cite this Entry

“Play down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20down. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

play down

verb
: to attach little importance to : minimize

More from Merriam-Webster on play down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!