downplay
verb (used with object)
to treat or speak of (something) so as to reduce emphasis on its importance, value, strength, etc..
downplayed
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past participleof downplay.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof downplay.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
downplayverb (used with object)to treat or speak of (something) so as to reduce emphasis on its importance, value, strength, etc..
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.
While FDA staffers downplayed this benefit, one oncologist at the advisory committee hearing pointedly noted that most physicians consider a 30% response rate in metastatic patients whose cancer worsened on other treatments to be significant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Bowe downplayed people calling him a hero and insisted it was a team effort.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Warsh downplayed the usefulness of the Fed’s public forecasts, declined to submit one himself, and argued that markets perform best when reacting to economic data rather than interpreting Fed signals.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
Warsh has downplayed the role of individual reports, saying trends will matter more than a single data point.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 19, 2026
In front of me, my parents still downplayed the seriousness of events.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
