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Synonyms

play up

British  

verb

  1. (tr) to emphasize or highlight

    to play up one's best features

  2. informal to behave irritatingly (towards)

  3. informal (intr) (of a machine, car, etc) to function erratically

    the car is playing up again

  4. informal to hurt; give (one) pain or trouble

    my back's playing me up again

    1. to support (another actor) in a performance

    2. to try to gain favour with by flattery

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
play up Idioms  

  1. Emphasize or publicize, as in In the press interview, the coach played up the importance of having a strong defense. [c. 1900] Also see play down; play up to.

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.

“It’s expected that we play up the ‘Get Out’ aspect.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2026

Salah could also play up top though Hugo Ekitike is currently the preferred option there.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026

“We didn’t play up to par in the trenches,” Skipper said.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2025

"At times I think we showed that we can play up against any team in the world."

From BBC • Aug. 13, 2025

The press had good reason to play up the event.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.