1
as in dismisses
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
out of sheer envy, she would always play down her sister's accomplishments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minimizes
to reduce in apparent importance
if you play down your part in the project, you won't get the credit you deserve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plays down
Standing at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Tyson has great speed and athleticism to make plays down the field.
—
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Eventually, the Panthers will be able to make some big plays down the field with Horn extending his package of reps.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2025
Chapman the Seagull Chapman plays down his part in Brighton becoming known as ‘Seagulls’ by fans during the 1970s.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Proud of our players for making plays down the stretch in critical situations.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025
The two guards closed the fourth quarter in a close win over the Sky and star Angel Reese with each making dazzling plays down the stretch.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Eventually, the Panthers will be able to make some big plays down the field with Horn extending his package of reps.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2025
Chapman the Seagull Chapman plays down his part in Brighton becoming known as ‘Seagulls’ by fans during the 1970s.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Proud of our players for making plays down the stretch in critical situations.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025
The two guards closed the fourth quarter in a close win over the Sky and star Angel Reese with each making dazzling plays down the stretch.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plays down
Verb
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The anti-American side focuses exclusively on the tragedies, usually makes slavery the chief argument for the prosecution, and dismisses the triumphs as hypocritical rhetoric.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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Some critics have interpreted the ending as a glib last-minute twist that threatens to neutralize the story’s potency and dismisses the seriousness of the movie’s premise.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Further modifications typically include the development of fuel nozzles that let the machine run on natural gas rather than aviation fuel, and a combustor that minimizes the emission of nitrogen oxides, a major pollutant.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
20 Oct. 2025
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Removing small amounts of the leaf blade each mowing minimizes plant stress.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This is the moment when Tyrique George runs down the right flank and sends a cross into the area, which takes a bit of a deflection.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Sharp runs down some of the more boldface-name contributions.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Continue reading … MIXED MESSAGES – Spanberger downplays Jay Jones' text scandal as Virginia election nears.—
,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
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Combs did not deny kicking or throwing Cassie to the ground, and even downplays these acts of violence, Slavik said in her arguments this morning.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At the risk of over-generalizing, as the protein content of a drink rises, its deliciousness diminishes.—
Adam Campbell-Schmitt,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Oct. 2025
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Coleman also pushed back against the notion that enthusiasm for AI diminishes the value of human work.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plays down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plays%20down. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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