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

5. 1. to support (another actor) in a performance

   2. to try to gain favour with by flattery

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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.

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Example Sentences

With less natural light, Miranda-Martin wanted to play up the idea of dining-room-as-treehouse, reflecting the second-floor foliage visible from the small windows.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026

Coach JJ Redick set the play up to miss it to the right side because that was supposed to be the side with just one defender.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

“Didn’t play up to our standard in some areas, and had chances to finish that game,” Stafford said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

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

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026

I said that the question had made me aware of how careful Malcolm X had always been to play himself down and to play up his leader Elijah Muhammad.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Related Words

• point up