underplay
Americanverb (used with object)
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to act (a part) sketchily.
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to act subtly and restrainedly.
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to understate or de-emphasize; downplay.
The ambassador underplayed his role in the peace negotiations.
verb (used without object)
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to leave out of one's acting all subtlety and enriching detail.
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to achieve an effect in acting with a minimum of emphasis.
verb
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to play (a role) with restraint or subtlety
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to achieve (an effect) by deliberate lack of emphasis
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(intr) cards to lead or follow suit with a lower card when holding a higher one
Etymology
Origin of underplay
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.
By endeavoring to tell the entire history of art, as far as their collections allow, they sometimes underplay a concentration within their holdings that makes them distinctive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 17, 2026
Van Sant’s direction is understated with only occasional exercises of capital-S Style; he sets the stage and doesn’t get in the way of the actors, who, for the most part, tend to underplay.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2024
Sir Howard later sought to clarify his remarks, saying he "did not intend to underplay" the challenges buyers face.
From BBC • Jan. 6, 2024
In other cases, descriptions of shipments can be intentionally vague or underplay the total volume of goods being sent.
From New York Times • Mar. 21, 2023
“In low-power distance index countries,” Hofstede wrote in his classic text Culture’s Consequences: power is something of which power holders are almost ashamed and they will try to underplay.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
