downplayed

VERB

minimize

Synonyms

STRONGEST

lessen play down soften

STRONG

devalue whitewash

WEAK

attach little importance to deemphasize give little weight to make light of think nothing of

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Warsh has downplayed the role of individual reports, saying trends will matter more than a single data point.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 19, 2026

Netanyahu, for his part, downplayed the exchange in an appearance on CNBC.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

One word I did not hear at the party, and a topic that Pratt has downplayed on the trail, is rent.

From Slate • Jun. 3, 2026

Later, while the public was somewhat aware that President Franklin D Roosevelt lived with paralysis from polio, the White House downplayed his use of a wheelchair until his death in office in 1945.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

In front of me, my parents still downplayed the seriousness of events.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson