What does downplay mean?
Downplay means (transitive) To de-emphasize; to present or portray as less important or consequential..
Downplay
Pronunciation varies by accent · verb
Meaning
(transitive) To de-emphasize; to present or portray as less important or consequential..
Example Sentences
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is no ordinary thriller. John Cassavetes, as usual, downplays the plot, opting for character and endless improvisation, but it does not entirely work in this setting.
[Milo] Yiannopoulos, whose own career as a far-right pundit imploded in 2017 after remarks he had made downplaying the seriousness of pedophilia surfaced, claims he has more damaging videos to release about [Ali] Alexander and [Nick] Fuentes.
Synonyms for downplay
Antonyms for downplay
Related Words
Word Forms
- downplays
- downplaying
- downplayed
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for downplay?
Common synonyms include play down, trivialize, understate, bagatellize.
What is the opposite of downplay?
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
How do you use downplay in a sentence?
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is no ordinary thriller. John Cassavetes, as usual, downplays the plot, opting for character and endless improvisation, but it does not entirely work in this setting.
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.