1
as in to understate
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Recent Examples of underplay
Just using endorsement badges to facilitate user choice could be underplaying its value, however.
—
London Business School, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
But a new analysis this week from the Associated Press concludes the report was based on old data that underplayed the extent of the military’s extremism problem.
—Will Carless, USA TODAY, 30 Nov. 2024
Borisov artfully underplays the progression: He’s taken aback by her feral resistance, amused by her spirit, then really sees her.
—Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024
The commission notes the abject shortcomings of anti-money-laundering measures but badly underplay the enduring capacities of wealthy trafficking organizations to defy counternarcotics efforts.
—Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021
See All Example Sentences for underplay
London Business School, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
But a new analysis this week from the Associated Press concludes the report was based on old data that underplayed the extent of the military’s extremism problem.
—Will Carless, USA TODAY, 30 Nov. 2024
Borisov artfully underplays the progression: He’s taken aback by her feral resistance, amused by her spirit, then really sees her.
—Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024
The commission notes the abject shortcomings of anti-money-laundering measures but badly underplay the enduring capacities of wealthy trafficking organizations to defy counternarcotics efforts.
—Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021
See All Example Sentences for underplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underplay
Verb
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The look was understated yet elegant—very befitting of an Oscar nominee.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
26 Feb. 2025
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The impact of involuntary churn can’t be understated.—
Vijay Menon,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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To say that Trump is overplaying America's hand with regard to Russia is an understatement.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Barcelona is just about making its way past an era when overplayed elderly players shuffled about for far too high wages.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Fahmy, like the security experts who spoke with CNN, downplayed the real-life impact of the media chatter about an impending war, but all were worried by its growing intensity.—
Sarah El Sirgany,
CNN,
3 Mar. 2025
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That is not to say that Koepka downplays the importance of the mental toughness required to win a major.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Drouin fears what will happen to the lobster industry if the trade dispute persists and Canada enacts a retaliatory tariff on lobsters.—
Dee-Ann Durbin and Sally Ho,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2025
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Tariffs on Canada and Mexico were delayed for a month, but Trump did enact a new 10% across-the-board tariff on Chinese products.—
Auzinea Bacon,
CNN,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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One could easily be accused of overacting, of doing too much.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2025
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There are few instances of someone overacting more in a movie, unnecessarily adding an undercurrent of murderous, jokey psychotic to an already bizarre creation.—
Mark Kennedy,
Boston Herald,
13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new exhibition (March 25) takes a wary view of its own contents, which span half a millennium, arguing that the West acted out its daydreams of a docile Orient one cup-and-saucer at a time.—
Shauna Lyon,
The New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2025
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The Department of Government Efficiency, which Musk does not officially lead but has acted out his objectives, has been orchestrating a campaign to drastically cut the federal workforce and budget.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA TODAY,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Directed and co-written by Alex Parkinson, Last Breath dramatizes the true story of a saturation-diving accident that took place off the coast of Scotland in 2012, and is based on Parkinson and Richard da Costa's 2019 documentary of the same name.—
Megan McCluskey,
TIME,
1 Mar. 2025
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Instead, the case of Mahler-Werfel dramatizes how opportunity, environment, and other contingencies shape artistic careers.—
Alex Ross,
The New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Cybercriminals have adopted machine learning and AI to revolutionize their tactics, employing tools that automate reconnaissance, craft hyper-realistic phishing emails and mimic trusted voices or identities.—
Jeremy Dodson,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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Cows, sheep, and other livestock are allowed to roam freely in pastures that mimic natural environments.5 This is believed to be healthier for the animals and produce more nutrient-dense meat and milk.—
Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, LD,
Health,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underplay. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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