Verb
represent as less significant or important
understate the importance or quality of
Source: WordNetNaturally we are aware of the strength of our economy and naturally we don't want to downplay it. Gerhard Schröder
Leadership experts and the public alike extol the virtues of transformational leaders - those who set out bold objectives and take risks to change the world. We tend to downplay 'transactional' leaders, whose goals are more modest, as mere managers. Joseph Nye
Defenders of Western civilization should not sugarcoat Islam or downplay its violent tendencies out of a misguided fear of offending its adherents. Geert Wilders
If you must leave your job after three months - and I recommend staying a year unless you're totally miserable - then downplay the short tenure both in your resume and in interviews. Alexandra Levit
There's a lot of talk about the positive aspects of love. We as a society downplay the danger, the anxiety, and the disappointment. We romanticize romance. Helen Fisher
I am, in some sense, a writer. Even though I kinda downplay the word thing, I do enjoy writing sometimes. Andrew Bird