Play Down

Pronunciation: /pleɪ daʊn/

Definitions of play down

verb to make something seem less important or serious than it really is

Example Sentences

A1 She tried to play down her mistake so no one would notice.

A2 The manager decided to play down the issue in order to avoid causing panic among the employees.

B1 The government spokesperson tried to play down the impact of the new policy on the economy.

B2 The CEO's main strategy was to play down the company's recent losses during the press conference.

C1 The diplomat skillfully played down the tensions between the two countries during the negotiations.

C2 Despite the controversy, the artist continued to play down the negative criticism and focus on creating new work.

Examples of play down in a Sentence

formal The company tried to play down the negative impact of the financial report during the press conference.

informal Don't play down the importance of studying for your exams, it's crucial for your success.

slang She always tries to play down her achievements, but we all know she's amazing.

figurative He tends to play down his emotions, but deep down we know he cares a lot.

Grammatical Forms of play down

• past tense: played down
• plural: play down
• comparative: more played down
• superlative: most played down
• present tense: plays down
• future tense: will play down
• perfect tense: have played down
• continuous tense: is playing down
• singular: plays down
• positive degree: played down
• infinitive: to play down
• gerund: playing down
• participle: played down

Origin and Evolution of play down

First Known Use: 1920 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The phrase 'play down' originated from the combination of the words 'play' and 'down' in English.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in a literal sense meaning to reduce the importance or significance of something, the term 'play down' has evolved to also include the idea of minimizing or downplaying the impact or seriousness of a situation or event.