downplays
Makes seem smaller
Downplays is the third-person singular form of downplay, meaning to minimize the importance or significance of something.
Someone who downplays a problem treats it as less serious than it may be: The company downplays safety concerns.
The word often implies deliberate understatement: She downplays her achievements.
Deliberately minimizes significance
- de-emphasizesReduces focus on
- underemphasizesGives too little stress
- moderatesReduces intensity or extremity
- tempersEmotional states prone to anger
tones down · subdues · mutes · dilutes · glosses over · palliates · mitigates · qualifies
Diminishes someone's worth
- trivializesMakes light of
- minimizesReduces to smallest extent
- undervaluesRates below true worth
- devaluesReduces perceived worth
deprecates · disparages · denigrates · demeans · degrades · decries · detracts · undercuts
Refuses to acknowledge
- overlooksMisses or surveys
- neglectsFails to care for
- disregardsFails to consider
- shrugs offDismisses without concern
brushes off · waves away · sidesteps · bypasses · skirts · deflects · evades · avoids
soft-pedals
Deliberately minimizes significance
- de-emphasizesReduces focus on
- underemphasizesGives too little stress
- moderatesReduces intensity or extremity
tones down · tempers · subdues · mutes · dilutes · glosses over · palliates · mitigates · qualifies · hedges
belittles
Diminishes someone's worth
- trivializesMakes light of
- minimizesReduces to smallest extent
- undervaluesRates below true worth
devalues · deprecates · disparages · denigrates · demeans · degrades · decries · detracts · undercuts · undermines
ignores
Refuses to acknowledge
- overlooksMisses or surveys
- neglectsFails to care for
- disregardsFails to consider
shrugs off · brushes off · waves away · sidesteps · bypasses · skirts · deflects · evades · avoids · discounts
- criticismscriticizes, disparages, condemns, denounces, censures
- distortionsdistort, distorts, deform, warp, twist
downplaysexaggerates
Overstates for effect
overstates · plays up · amplifies · inflates · magnifies
downplayshighlights
Notable moments emphasized
spotlights · emphasizes · underscores · foregrounds · draws attention to
downplayssensationalizes
Dramatizes for attention
catastrophizes · overdramatizes · makes a mountain out of a molehill · whips up · inflames