play down

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

SoftBank executives play down the risks of the financing deals, noting the sums are small in the context of a company with hundreds of billions of dollars in assets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

Rubio, a devout Catholic, sought to play down the rift ahead of the private audience, which will be followed by talks with Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

On Monday, Sir Keir sought to play down any sense of a rift with the civil service when he told MPs: "We have thousands of civil servants who act with integrity and professionalism every day."

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

But he appeared to play down the significance of the stockpile, pointing to the damage caused in US-Israeli strikes last June.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

If Newton went to such lengths to try to play down Hooke’s role in history, Hooke must have been an impressive scientist indeed.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin