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Downplay vs Minimize - What's the difference?

downplay | minimize |

In transitive terms the difference between downplay and minimize

is that downplay is to de-emphasize; to present or portray as less important or consequential while minimize is to make (something) as small or as insignificant as possible.

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

    *

    minimize

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (non-Oxford British spelling)

    Verb

    (minimiz)
  • To make (something) as small or as insignificant as possible.
  • (computing, transitive, graphical user interface) To remove (a window) from the main display area, collapsing it to an icon or caption.
    • I didn't close anything, but I minimized all the windows so I could see the desktop.