as in minimizes
to reduce in apparent importance
he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success
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Recent Examples of downplays
The proposition has been met with backlash online, as some believe the name insinuates a connection to the president or downplays the importance of the man who donated the land, whom it is named after.
—
Greta Cross, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
San Diego economist Ray Major downplays the impacts of declining immigration, pointing out that the far more concerning issue is the continuing exodus of residents, who far outnumber those who are moving here.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Benjamin Netanyahu signals restraint on energy strikes and downplays Iran’s capabilities.
—Abhishek Shanker, Bloomberg, 20 Mar. 2026
Govan, for his part, downplays the controversy.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026
Wicker argued that the blueprint — which downplays threats from China, focusing primarily on the Western Hemisphere — ignores implications of the Russia-Ukraine war and lacks information about interests in the Middle East amid the turmoil in Iran.
—The Hill Staff - 03, The Hill, 5 Mar. 2026
Writer/director Hammer, though, downplays the melodrama inherent to this scenario, even while shooting sequences, whether in Martin and Leslie’s apartment or in various hospitals, with a bracing handheld intimacy.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
The split between Pack, who went on to start his own venture firm Hack VC, and Dragonfly is the stuff of crypto VC lore, though Qureshi downplays the drama.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
This downplays the robotic look somewhat.
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Greta Cross, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
San Diego economist Ray Major downplays the impacts of declining immigration, pointing out that the far more concerning issue is the continuing exodus of residents, who far outnumber those who are moving here.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Benjamin Netanyahu signals restraint on energy strikes and downplays Iran’s capabilities.
—Abhishek Shanker, Bloomberg, 20 Mar. 2026
Govan, for his part, downplays the controversy.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026
Wicker argued that the blueprint — which downplays threats from China, focusing primarily on the Western Hemisphere — ignores implications of the Russia-Ukraine war and lacks information about interests in the Middle East amid the turmoil in Iran.
—The Hill Staff - 03, The Hill, 5 Mar. 2026
Writer/director Hammer, though, downplays the melodrama inherent to this scenario, even while shooting sequences, whether in Martin and Leslie’s apartment or in various hospitals, with a bracing handheld intimacy.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
The split between Pack, who went on to start his own venture firm Hack VC, and Dragonfly is the stuff of crypto VC lore, though Qureshi downplays the drama.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
This downplays the robotic look somewhat.
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downplays
Verb
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Pro hairstylist Ryan Richman previously described this Briogeo cream as a lightweight, silicone-free heat-protectant cream that minimizes frizz, smooths hair, enhances shine, and protects against heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
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Air drying is best to prevent shrinkage, but combining it with a low-heat dryer cycle minimizes wrinkles.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When bumbling village policeman Derry (an endearing Nicholas Braun) dismisses any suspicion of foul play despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, it’s left to the sheep to prove otherwise — despite no ability to converse with their human counterparts beyond Lassie-style leading and hinting.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
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The Ohio Republican Party chairman, Alex Triantafilou, dismisses Putsch's attacks as typical for a primary election.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downplays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downplays. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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