underplay

1. The act of underplaying.

present singular third person underplays · participle present underplaying · participle past underplayed · past underplayed

1. transitiveTo play in a subordinate, or in an inferior manner; to underact a part.
2. transitiveTo make something seem less important than it really is.

   1 more example

   As a working-class person I want to tell Tucker and any other gay and lesbian activists who call themselves socialists and so should certainly know better, that when they underplay survival issues and don't acknowledge the faultline under their feet that is class in this society, it hurts me right in the gut.

   1985 August 17, Pam Mitchell, “Don't Say Class Until You Mean It”, in Gay Community News, volume 13, number 6, page 4

   Synonyms: belittle, downplay, understate, bagatellize, banalize, belittle, cut down, de-emphasize

3. transitivecard gamesTo play a low card when holding a high one, in the hope of a future advantage.