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Belittle vs Downplay - What's the difference?

belittle | downplay |

As verbs the difference between belittle and downplay

is that belittle is to knowingly say that something is smaller or less important than it actually is while downplay is to de-emphasize; to present or portray as less important or consequential.

belittle

English

Verb

(belittl)
  • To knowingly say that something is smaller or less important than it actually is.
  • * {{quote-book, year=2006
    • , author=Mark Steyn , title=America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It , chapter=9 , isbn=0895260786 , page=201 , passage=Under the rules as understood by the New York Times'', the West is free to mock and belittle''' its Judeo-Christian inheritance, and, likewise, the Muslim world is free to mock and ' belittle the West's Judeo-Christian inheritance.}}

    Related terms

    * belittlement

    See also

    * disparage * denigrate * vilipend

    downplay

    English

    Alternative forms

    * play down

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To de-emphasize; to present or portray as less important or consequential.
    • He would sometimes downplay his Princeton education by saying simply that he went to school in New Jersey.

    Usage notes

    * The synonymous alternative form (play down) is slightly more formal, or slightly less informal.

    Anagrams

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