underplay

ˌʌndərˈpleɪ

Definition

Conjugation

Definition of underplay - Reverso English Dictionary

Verb

tr.

downplay

Rare

make something appear less important than it is

Rare

She underplayed her achievements during the interview to seem modest..

downplay

minimize

acting

Rare

act a role with subtlety or restraint

Rare

He chose to underplay his character's emotions.

downplay

minimize

restrain

game

TECH.

play a low card while holding a high one

TECH.

She decided to underplay to gain an advantage later.

downplay

underbid

underestimate

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Expressions with underplay

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.

underplay one's cards

deliberately make abilities or plans seem less important

He decided to underplay his cards during the negotiation.

underplay one's hand

pretend your position or abilities are weaker than they are

She decided to underplay her hand during the meeting.

underplay a part

downplay the importance of a role or contribution

He tends to underplay a part in team projects.

Origin of underplay

English, under (beneath) + play (act)

Examples of underplay in a sentence

The report underplayed the severity of the issue.
The actor decided to underplay the dramatic scene.
She tends to underplay her achievements in interviews.
He chose to underplay, saving his ace for later.
Underplaying was part of his strategy to win.

View all translations of underplay

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:minimiser, sous-jouer, ...
German:herunterspielen, zurückhaltend spielen, ...
Italian:minimizzare, interpretare con moderazione, ...
Spanish:restar importancia, interpretar con sutileza, ...
Portuguese:minimizar, atuar com sutileza, ...
Chinese:淡化, 含蓄演绎, ...
Japanese:控えめに言う, 控えめに演じる, ...
Arabic:قَلَّلَ مِنْ شَأْنِ, يُؤَدِّي بِتَحَفُّظ, ...
Hebrew:לְהַמְעִיט בְּעֵרֶךְ, לְהַפְגִּין רִסּוּן, ...
Russian:преуменьшать, сыграть сдержанно, ...
Ukrainian:применшувати, стримано грати, ...
Hindi:कम महत्व देना, संयम से निभाना, ...
Bengali:গুরুত্বহীন করে তোলা, সংযতভাবে প্রকাশ করা, ...
Catalan:minimitzar, sotactuar, ...
Czech:zlehčovat, hrát civilně, ...
Danish:underdrive, spille med tilbageholdenhed, ...
Dutch:bagatelliseren, subtiel spelen, ...
Greek:υποβαθμίζω, παίζω με αυτοσυγκράτηση, ...
Hungarian:lekicsinyelni, visszafogottan játszani, ...
Khmer:បន្ថយសារៈសំខាន់, សម្ដែងដោយទប់អារម្មណ៍, ...
Korean:축소하다, 절제되게 연기하다, ...
Persian:کم اهمیت جلوه دادن, ظرافت بازی کرد, ...
Polish:umniejszać, zagrać, ...
Portuguese (BR):minimizar, atuar com sutileza, ...
Romanian:a minimiza, a juca, ...
Swedish:nedtona, spela ned, ...
Thai:ทำให้ดูไม่สำคัญ, แสดงอย่างละเอียดอ่อน, ...
Turkish:önemsiz göstermek, ölçülü oynamak, ...
Vietnamese:giảm nhẹ, diễn nhẹ, ...

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.

Definition of underplay - Reverso English Dictionary

Verb

Expressions with underplay

Origin of underplay

Terms related to underplay

Examples of underplay in a sentence

View all translations of underplay

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

Get more than a simple definition

Go from understanding to mastery