downplay

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

Synthetic form of the phrase play down. By surface analysis, down- +‎ play.

Pronunciation

[edit]
  • Audio (US):(file)

Verb

[edit]

downplay (third-person singular simple present downplays, present participle downplaying, simple past and past participle downplayed)

  1. (transitive) To de-emphasize; to present or portray as less important or consequential.
    He would sometimes downplay his Princeton education by saying simply that he went to school in New Jersey.

Usage notes

[edit]
  • The synonymous alternative form play down is slightly more formal, or slightly less informal.

Synonyms

[edit]

Translations

[edit]

Anagrams

[edit]