making light
Treating as trivial
Making light of something is to treat it as unimportant or trivial, often dismissively: He made light of his injury, but I could tell he was in pain.
The phrase suggests downplaying significance, whether to reassure others, deflect attention, or minimize genuine concerns.
It can be gracious humility or frustrating evasion depending on context.
- trivializeMake light of
- downplayDiminish perceived importance
- play downDiminish perceived significance
- shrug offDismiss as unimportant
- no big dealInconsequential matter
luminescence · incandescence · flippancy · clarity · jest · crack a joke · comic relief · insight · perspective · irony · wit · minimize · levity · irreverence · bright side · humor · mockery · revelation
- downplayingminimizing, downplay, trivializing, belittling, soft-pedal
making lightdramatizing
Exaggerating emotional impact
catastrophizing · stressing · magnifying · solemnizing · exaggerating
making lightscrutinizing
Examining something very closely
harping on · belaboring · overanalyzing · picking apart · poring over
make, makers, making, remake, unmake, light, lights, lighted, lighter