plays up
Exaggerates for effect
To play something up is to emphasize or exaggerate it, making it seem more important or prominent than it might otherwise be: The campaign played up his military service.
The opposite is to play down.
In British usage, to play up also means to malfunction or cause trouble: My knee is playing up again.
- breaks downStops functioning properly
- on the fritzMalfunctioning, out of order
- misbehaveConduct oneself poorly
- whineComplain in high pitch
- underscoreLow horizontal text mark
highlight · accentuate · amplify · overstate · embellish · lay it on thick · act up · magnify · tease · act out · acts out · throw a fit · dramatize · ham it up · inflate · stress · pout · disrupt
plays upplays down
Minimizes perceived importance
downplays · minimizes · understates · de-emphasizes · soft-pedals
plays upbehaves
Acts appropriately
cooperates · settles down · calms down · minds · obeys
play, plays, played, playing, player, players, playful, playfully, playfulness