downplay

/ˌdaʊnˈpleɪ/

/ˈdaʊnpleɪ/

Other forms: downplayed; downplaying; downplays

To downplay something is to act as if it's not very important. If you're trying to convince your friends to play poker with you, you might downplay the fact that you're an experienced and competitive player.

Politicians who depend on contributions from oil and gas companies tend to downplay the environmental effects of their products, and a boy who wants a trampoline for his birthday might downplay the possible dangers when he talks to his parents about it. Downplay is a relatively recent addition to the English language, dating from the late 1960s.

Definitions of downplay

1. verb

   understate the importance or quality of
   synonyms: background, play down

   types:

   wave off

   dismiss as insignificant

   soft-pedal

   play down or obscure

   type of:

   accent, accentuate, emphasise, emphasize, punctuate, stress

   stress; single out as important
2. verb

   represent as less significant or important
   synonyms: minimise, minimize, understate

   types:

   trivialise, trivialize

   make trivial or insignificant

   type of:

   inform

   impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to