Dictionary

downplay en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈdaʊ̯nˌpleɪ̯/

Etymology

Synthetic form of the phrase play down. By surface analysis, down- + play.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To de-emphasize; to present or portray as less important or consequential.
   • [Milo] Yiannopoulos, whose own career as a far-right pundit imploded in 2017 after remarks he had made downplaying the seriousness of pedophilia surfaced, claims he has more damaging videos to release about [Ali] Alexander and [Nick] Fuentes. 2023 April 17, Will Sommer, “‘Stop the Steal’ Organizer Apologizes After Being Accused of Asking Teen Boys for D*ck Pics”, in The Daily Beast, archived from the original on 20 Apr 2023:
   • The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is no ordinary thriller. John Cassavetes, as usual, downplays the plot, opting for character and endless improvisation, but it does not entirely work in this setting. 1984, Marc Sigoloff, The Films of the Seventies, A Filmography of American, British and Canadian Films 1970–1979, page 158:

Forms

Deriveds

downplayer

Synonyms

lilliputianize · denigrate · underplay · play down · trivialize · de-emphasize · derogate · disparage · trivialize · dispraise · understate · play down · bagatellize · belittle · set at nought · downplay · make little of · vilipend · understate · underestimate · make nothing of · degrade · banalize · superficialize · minimize · cut down · deprecate

Translations (40)

de kleinreden (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · cs bagatelizovat (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · cy bychanu (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · pl lekceważyć (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · pl zbagatelizować (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · he הִצְנִיעַ (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · sv bagatellisera (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · he גִמֵּד (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · de verharmlosen (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · es minimizar (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · es quitar importancia (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · ja 矮小化する (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · nl bagatelliseren (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · mk омало́важи (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · ca minimitzar (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · fr minimiser (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · de herunterspielen (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · de bagatellisieren (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · sv tona ner (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · fi bagatellisoida (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · pl zlekceważyć (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · pt minimizar (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · cmn 淡化 (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · bg омаловажавам (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · pl bimbać (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · fi vähätellä (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · uk приме́ншувати (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · it minimizzare (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · pl bagatelizować (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · it sminuire (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · uk приме́ншити (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · ca empetitir (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · nl geringschatten (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · es menospreciar (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · nl minimaliseren (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · ru преуменьша́ть (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · cy lleihau (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · sv tona ned (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · ar قَلَّلَ (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential) · es quitar hierro (to de-emphasize; to present or portray something as less important or consequential)

wikipedia: Synthetic language