play down

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.

SoftBank executives play down the risks of the financing deals, noting the sums are small in the context of a company with hundreds of billions of dollars in assets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

Rubio, a devout Catholic, sought to play down the rift ahead of the private audience, which will be followed by talks with Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

Spurs ultimately funnelled Villa's play down the middle while also setting up to have numerous players in that area of the pitch.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

However, Rosenior sought to play down Fernandez's remarks, saying the midfielder is "committed" and the comments were "misconstrued" following an emotional defeat.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Such narratives do not play down the epistemological problem of moving from the specific to the universal; they accentuate it.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton