downplay
verb (used with object)
to treat or speak of (something) so as to reduce emphasis on its importance, value, strength, etc..
have downplayed
-
present perfectof downplay.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
But the minutes merely said that most of the committee expected another hike before the end of the year, a framing aligned with key Fed officials who have downplayed an October hike.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Williams may have downplayed the importance of winning on her tennis comeback, but it soon became obvious she was feeling the pressure.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Some retail chains have been upbeat about the spring shopping season or have downplayed the threat of higher gas prices.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 6, 2026
Local media's accounting of the protests is not exhaustive, and state-run outlets have downplayed their coverage of the demonstrations, while videos flooding social media are often impossible to verify.
From Barron's ● Jan. 5, 2026
These two debates, about thinking and knowing, interlock because both generations have downplayed the idea that the new science was grounded in a new type of engagement with sensory reality.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
