Last Updated：2025/11/22

(idiomatic, transitive) To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.

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play down

Source Word

play down

Verb

idiomatic transitive

(idiomatic, transitive) To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.

Japanese Meaning

重要性を控えめに見せる、または誇張せずに扱うことで、実際よりも影響力や重要性を低く伝える。 / 何かの価値や信ぴょう性を意図的に軽く捉え、目立たなくする。

The company attempted to play down the incident to protect its reputation.

会社は評判を守るために、その出来事の重要性を過小評価しようとした。

Sense（1）

(idiomatic, transitive) To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.

The essay attempts to play down the role slavery had in the Civil War.

plays down

（ present singular third-person ）

playing down

（ participle present ）

played down

（ participle past ）

played down

（ past ）