play down

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

play down (third-person singular simple present plays down, present participle playing down, simple past and past participle played down)

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.

   The essay attempts to play down the role slavery had in the Civil War.

   The senator played down the threat of a recession.

   During the wave of anti-immigrant sentiment, Miguel played down his immigrant status by removing Chicano patois from his speech and adopting the nickname "Mike."

   • 2019 October, Dan Harvey, “HS2 costs rise as schedule slips”, in Modern Railways, page 8:

     Reports that the project is in trouble have been circulating for many months and have been played down by officials.

• (make to seem less important): de-emphasize, downplay

• (antonym(s) of “make to seem less important”): play up

• downplay

• downplay