Meaning & use
Underplay
Last updated
To make something appear less important than it really is, or to perform a role with restraint rather than exaggeration.
See it in a sentence
The company underplayed the severity of the data breach in its public statement.
The actor chose to underplay the villain's menace, letting silence do the work.
A note on using this word
In acting, underplay is a deliberate technique of subtlety, contrasting with overplay, which suggests an exaggerated or hammy performance.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
overplayexaggerate
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