SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
downplay
verb
To present something as less important or serious than it may be.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Minimize apparent importance
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topGloss over can involve omission; downplay can mention the matter while reducing its apparent significance.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See downplay in use
The summary should not downplay the uncertainty in the supporting evidence.
Priya also refused to downplay the photographer's concern by calling the difference between images merely cosmetic.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license