1
as in to understate
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Recent Examples of underplay
To describe the United States’ military interventions as mishandled, for example, is to criminally underplay their impact.
—
Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2020
And David Rosenberg subtly underplays Alex, an American ex-pat who’s haunted by ghosts of his own.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Mainstream economists, however, believe Trump may be underplaying how damaging his policies could be.
—David Goldman, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
Some companies overstate the benefits while underplaying the hazards.
—Aimee Pugh Bernard, The Conversation, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underplay
Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2020
And David Rosenberg subtly underplays Alex, an American ex-pat who’s haunted by ghosts of his own.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Mainstream economists, however, believe Trump may be underplaying how damaging his policies could be.
—David Goldman, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
Some companies overstate the benefits while underplaying the hazards.
—Aimee Pugh Bernard, The Conversation, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underplay
Verb
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It's understated, lightweight, and comfortable, with excellent sleep tracking and health tips.—
WIRED,
Wired News,
8 July 2025
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Winning the Best Actor Oscar, Penn portrays a multidimensional man whose impact on the LGBTQ+ community can't be understated, and who serves as a reminder of the positive impact an everyday person can achieve.—
Sophie van Bastelaer,
EW.com,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Schmidt’s one-timer from the top of the right circle cleanly beat Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who overplayed the near post.—
Eduardo A. Encina,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2025
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Marlon takes on the guise of a thug named Roach and of course overplays the role.—
Caryn James,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2025
Verb
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The senior State Department official downplayed the study.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
13 July 2025
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The man who has turned Paris Saint-Germain from an excellent side to the best club soccer team on the planet has even downplayed his role with the FIFA Club World Cup final against Chelsea at MetLife Stadium looming on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
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In part, Merriman says, because of Beijing enacting tougher environmental regulations at home in 2015, regulations that pushed Chinese firms to set up shop with local partners next door.—
Michael Sullivan,
NPR,
12 July 2025
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Meanwhile, deep tax cuts enacted in 2023 with subsequent cuts each year have had a limited impact on growth, O’Leary said, while reducing state revenue.—
Scott Cohn,
CNBC,
12 July 2025
Verb
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The college student performers from the Hartt School aren’t encouraged to overact during the party scene anymore — no more drunk jokes or pratfalls.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Dec. 2024
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One could easily be accused of overacting, of doing too much.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Puppies often chew shoes to soothe their gums when teething, while dogs lacking physical or mental stimulation may act out to get a reaction.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
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Fear around the upcoming adjustment, anticipatory anxiety, and positive emotions such as excitement can also trigger them to act out.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Nothing dramatizes the human comedy with more precision than the sound of a happily narrow mind retorting to the wider environment.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
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Austin Kelley’s debut novel The Fact Checker dramatizes these questions of fact, truth, and provability as the protagonist checks an article about the Union Square Greenmarket.—
Isabel Clara Ruehl
June 16,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2025
Verb
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This rapid back-and-forth process mimics Kolb’s learning cycle and keeps your curiosity alive by making exploration dynamic and hands-on.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
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The blouse features a hint of a collar, soon-to-be-trending frog enclosures, and slits on the sleeves that mimic the trousers.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underplay. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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