downplay

verb

down·​play ˈdau̇n-ˌplā How to pronounce downplay (audio)
downplayed; downplaying; downplays

Examples of downplay in a Sentence

Athletes often downplay their injuries. he self-deprecatingly downplays his own contributions to the festival's success
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Beginning in the 1960s, American food companies—some of which have been run by tobacco companies—engaged in nefarious corporate practices to create addictive products like sugary drinks, heavily market those products to the American public, and aggressively downplay their health harms. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025 Training rather than bravery In several interviews over the years, McCarthy has downplayed the notion that bravery had much to do with his actions. Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2025 Yet far from trying to downplay the aggressive tactics, the White House and immigration officials have celebrated them by trying to turn images of enforcement into deportation memes. Jack Healy, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 The fire, which affected one of the two nuclear reactors in the Cumberland area of northwestern England, released radioactive material into the environment, but the disaster was downplayed by the British government. Christopher Rd, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for downplay

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of downplay was in 1948

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Cite this Entry

“Downplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downplay. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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