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What is another word for play down?

Need synonyms for play down? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Contexts ▼

To make, or attempt to make, something seem less important

To belittle or disparage the achievements of others

To dismiss idly with contempt or derision

To disregard as unimportant or insignificant

To injure a person's dignity and self-respect

… more ▼

Verb

To make, or attempt to make, something seem less important

make nothing of

set little store by

set no store by

not do justice to

do an injustice to

brush something under the carpet

think too little of

think little of

treat as unimportant

be casual about

fail to appreciate

set too little store by

sugarcoat the pill

cock a snook at

take for granted

give a lower profile

attach little importance to

give little weight to

think nothing of

put on the soft pedal

take down a peg

keep under control

more ❯

“MacFarlane did his best to duck the limelight and play down his role in the investigation.”

Verb

To belittle or disparage the achievements of others

think little of

do a hatchet job on

cast aspersions on

drag through the mud

cut down to size

take down a peg

look down one's nose at

find fault with

give comeuppance

knock off high horse

comment negatively

blacken the name of

spread lies about

criticize unfairly

give a bad name

sully the reputation of

blacken the character of

throw brickbats at

inveigh against

fulminate against

take a swipe at

shoot full of holes

cut to the quick

haul over the coals

remonstrate with

tear off a strip

give someone a roasting

give someone hell

read the riot act

give someone a bad press

give someone a rollicking

rap over the knuckles

give someone a bollocking

tear a strip off

give a bad press to

vituperate against

give some stick to

give someone a caning

give someone a mouthful

give someone a telling-off

give someone a wigging

treat with contempt

give someone what for

give someone a dressing-down

give a talking-to

give someone an earful

let someone have it

give someone a row

give someone a rating

give offence to

hurt somebody's feelings

pass strictures upon

give something a battering

rake over the coals

put your back up

criticize severely

give something a bad press

give someone some stick

jump down one's throat

show contempt for

go for the jugular

slap someone's wrist

hold up to ridicule

treat contemptuously

send someone away with a flea in their ear

slap on the wrist

make jokes about

be contemptuous about

hold in contempt

take the mickey

treat disrespectfully

turn your nose up at

take the piss out of

turn up one's nose at

give a tongue-lashing

jump down someone's throat

give someone bondi

give a black eye

come down hard on

assault verbally

regard with contempt

criticize strongly

bring under fire

review unfavorably

give someone a carpeting

criticize hatefully

take to the woodshed

point the finger

express disapproval of

give the business

jump on one's case

bite someone's head off

snap someone's head off

declaim against

express disapprobation

express disapprobation of

feel contempt for

hit where one lives

make somebody's hackles rise

ruffle one's feathers

raise your hackles

give the cold shoulder

make a monkey of

make a monkey out of

poke mullock at

be sarcastic about

call to account

bellyache about

hold accountable

hold someone to blame

hold responsible

sound off about

point finger at

hang something on

blow whistle on

send up the river

lay at one's door

rap someone the knuckles

drag over the coals

cause suffering to

hurt the feelings of

step on one's toes

cause offence to

be scornful about

curl your lip at

spit in the face of

spit in the eye of

rub up the wrong way

be disagreeable

tread on someone's toes

be an affront to

put someone's nose out of joint

more ❯

“Alternatively, and particularly in cases where there are rival leadership factions, they may play down the achievements of other leaders and their patrons.”

Verb

To dismiss idly with contempt or derision

treat with contempt

express contempt

turn up one's nose at

hold up to scorn

look down one's nose at

regard with contempt

turn your nose up at

hold in disdain

make jokes about

treat contemptuously

thumb one's nose

have contempt for

have no use for

refuse to acknowledge

be contemptuous about

show contempt for

hold in contempt

give someone the brush-off

give the cold shoulder

give someone the go-by

give the cold shoulder to

look right through someone

not give time of day

take no notice of

feel contempt for

tell someone to get lost

send to Coventry

turn up one's nose

look straight through

refuse to entertain

tell someone where to get off

keep at arm's length

give the brushoff

snub one's nose at

refuse to fulfil

turn deaf ear to

show disrespect for

show disrespect

treat disrespectfully

more ❯

Verb

To disregard as unimportant or insignificant

Verb

To injure a person's dignity and self-respect

take down a peg

cause to feel small

cause to lose face

cut down to size

make someone eat crow

make someone eat humble pie

put out of countenance

take down a peg or two

take the wind out of your sails

settle someone's hash

put someone in their place

drag through the mud

bring into disrepute

reflect badly on

lower the status of

show in a bad light

give a black eye

give a bad name to

bring shame upon

drag through the mire

put in a bad light

give a bad name

bring discredit to

cast aspersions on

do a hatchet job on

bring dishonour to

blacken the name of

get the better of

have the last laugh on

lower someone's status

lower someone's dignity

put in one's place

get one's comeuppance

lower in status

be prejudicial to

reduce the status of

comment negatively

make uncomfortable

make someone feel ashamed

pop one's balloon

bring down a peg

make one feel small

cut to the quick

kick in the teeth

tar and feather

force to eat humble pie

be untrue to oneself

abandon one's principles

shoot down in flames

let wind out of sails

show in bad light

knock the stuffing out of

fix someone's wagon

reduce to the ranks

kick downstairs

debase yourself

take down a notch

throw brickbats at

ruin the reputation of

bring into disfavour

blacken someone's name

destroy someone's credibility

damage someone's reputation

rip up and down

spread scandal about

run smear campaign

damage the reputation of

reflect negatively

cast in a bad light

harm the reputation of

muddy the reputation of

blacken the reputation of

drag through mud

drag someone's name through the mud

blot your copybook

slap in the face

hit where one lives

cast a slur upon

characterize^US

do discredit to

become a stain of the escutcheon of

blemish the reputation of

tarnish the reputation of

become a blot of the escutcheon of

be a discredit to

find fault with

characterise^UK

label negatively

accuse of being

tell lies about

run a smear campaign against

blacken the character of

more ❯

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What is the opposite of play down?
Sentences with the word play down
What is the past tense of play down?
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Nearby Words

play ducks and drakes with

played about with

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