DOWNPLAY: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for DOWNPLAY?

Need another word that means the same as “downplay”? Find 27 synonyms and 30 related words for “downplay” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Downplay” are: background, play down, minimise, minimize, understate, disparage, denigrate, belittle, diminish, deprecate, detract from, deflate, decry, discredit, cast aspersions on, downgrade, slight, run down, criticize, defame, vilify, abuse, insult, attack, speak ill of, speak evil of, pour scorn on

Downplay as a Verb

Definitions of "Downplay" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “downplay” as a verb can have the following definitions:

• Represent as less significant or important.
• Understate the importance or quality of.
• Make (something) appear less important than it really is.

Synonyms of "Downplay" as a verb (27 Words)

abuse	Use foul or abusive language towards. Don t abuse the system.
attack	Attack someone physically or emotionally. Crystal Palace attacked swiftly down the left.
background	Form a background to. Windswept land backgrounded by the Rockies.
belittle	Cause to seem less serious; play down. Don t belittle his influence.
cast aspersions on	Deposit.
criticize	Find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws. A literary text may be criticized on two grounds the semantic and the expressive.
decry	Publicly denounce. They decried human rights abuses.
defame	Charge falsely or with malicious intent. He claimed that the article defamed his family.
deflate	Become deflated or flaccid as by losing air. He deflated one of the tyres.
denigrate	Charge falsely or with malicious intent. Doom and gloom merchants who denigrate their own country.
deprecate	Express strong disapproval of; deplore. What I deprecate is persistent indulgence.
detract from	Take away a part from; diminish.
diminish	Cause to seem less impressive or valuable. The trial has aged and diminished him.
discredit	Harm the good reputation of. This newspaper story discredits the politicians.
disparage	Regard or represent as being of little worth. He never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors.
downgrade	Reduce to a lower grade, rank, or level of importance. Some jobs had gradually been downgraded from skilled to semi skilled.
insult	Speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse. You re insulting the woman I love.
minimise	Cause to seem less serious; play down.
minimize	Reduce (something, especially something undesirable) to the smallest possible amount or degree. The aim is to minimize costs.
play down	Participate in games or sport.
pour scorn on	Rain heavily.
run down	Be affected by; be subjected to.
slight	Raze or destroy (a fortification. A Council determined whether the Fort should be kept or slighted.
speak evil of	Use language.
speak ill of	Give a speech to.
understate	Describe or represent (something) as being smaller or less good or important than it really is. The press have understated the extent of the problem.
vilify	Speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner. He has been vilified in the press.

Usage Examples of "Downplay" as a verb

• This report downplays the seriousness of global warming.

Associations of "Downplay" (30 Words)

compress	Be squeezed or pressed together or into a smaller space. She compressed her lips.
condone	Accept (behaviour that is considered morally wrong or offensive. The college cannot condone any behaviour that involves illicit drugs.
connive	Encourage or assent to illegally or criminally. She connived with a senior official to rig the results of last year s election.
contraction	The process or result of becoming smaller or pressed together. Goodbye is a contraction of God be with you.
crass	Showing no intelligence or sensitivity. An act of crass stupidity.
decrease	Decrease in size extent or range. The rate of decrease became greater.
disparagingly	In a disparaging manner. These mythological figures are described disparagingly as belonging only to a story.
disregard	The action or state of paying no attention to something. The body of evidence is too substantial to disregard.
downgrade	An instance of reducing someone or something’s rank, status, or level of importance. Some jobs had gradually been downgraded from skilled to semi skilled.
education	The United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with education including federal aid to educational institutions and students created 1979. Petrus is a good workman it is an education to watch him.
flatten	Humiliate or depress (someone. Flatten a road.
ignore	Fail to consider (something significant. He ignored her outraged question.
intelligence	Information in general; news. British intelligence has secured numerous local informers.
irrelevant	Not connected with or relevant to something. Theory can sometimes be hastily dismissed as irrelevant to the classroom.
lighthearted	Carefree and happy and lighthearted. Her lighthearted nature.
minimize	Represent as less significant or important. Let s minimize the risk.
neglect	The trait of neglecting responsibilities and lacking concern. He neglected to write to her.
obscurity	The state of being indistinct or indefinite for lack of adequate illumination. He is too good a player to slide into obscurity.
omit	Leave undone or leave out. He was omitted from the second Test.
overlook	Be oriented in a certain direction. The apartment overlooks the Hudson.
rebuff	Reject (someone or something) in an abrupt or ungracious manner. I asked her to be my wife and was rebuffed in no uncertain terms.
reduce	Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements. The need for businesses to reduce costs.
reducible	(of a subject or problem) capable of being simplified in presentation or analysis. Shakespeare s major soliloquies are not reducible to categories.
reduction	A thick and concentrated liquid or sauce made by boiling. The reduction of classical genetics to molecular biology.
scoff	Speak to someone or about something in a scornfully derisive or mocking way. You a scientist he scoffed.
snub	Reject outright and bluntly. She snubbed his proposal.
understate	Represent as less significant or important. The press have understated the extent of the problem.
understatement	A statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said. To say I am delighted is an understatement.
undervalue	Rate (something) insufficiently highly; fail to appreciate. Through overfamiliarity it is easy to undervalue this concerto.
vanish	Pass away rapidly. The effect vanished when day broke.