played up

verb

past tense of play up
as in highlighted
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on that TV news program plays up sensational stories just to get higher ratings

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of played up Fielder played up a version of himself on the show, acting as a dumbly ambitious business school graduate, socially inept and desperately seeking connection. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 And the Dolphins’ veteran tackles haven’t played up to expectations this season. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 But with her Monday night looks, Pugh seemingly played up sartorial symbolism. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026 In one of two brief speaking appearances during the hearing, Paramount lawyer Joshua Holian played up the value of Miramax, citing Scary Movie‘s nine-figure haul at the box office this year. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026 Cassavetes played up the conflicting feelings on set and exacerbated them by giving Rowlands and Cassel contradictory directions that constantly set the actors against each other. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 23 Sep. 2026 Paye’s pocket-pushing and motor really played up in these situations. — Daniel Popper, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Trump played up the industry’s potential in the days after Maduro’s capture. — Fabiola Zerpa, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026 However, Pelosi said the feud was never serious and was often played up by the press. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played up
  1. highlighted
  2. emphasized
  3. stressed
  4. featured
Verb
  • South Korean officials have said North Korea's recent border activities have highlighted the Koreas' disagreement over exactly where the military demarcation line lies.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Recent Hamilton campaign ads have highlighted the medical debt story.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of highlighted
Verb
  • Their ensuing correspondence with the department began politely but devolved into threats and demands emphasized in italic type.
    — Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The researchers emphasized that expanding underground CO₂ storage will be essential to meet international climate goals.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of emphasized
Verb
  • Global energy outlook Executives from both firms stressed the project’s engineering demands.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Sheeran subsequently stressed that the decision to remove Macklemore was not his, writing that it had been made by the promoter and venues.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of stressed
Verb
  • The Forum, the first of its 35th season, was moderated by journalist Michele Norris, and featured hundreds of high school and college students from across the state.
    — Nick Caito Photo, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The album featured the sexy, chicken-scratch funk of the 1970s melted down to something slow and gooey next to early-morning comedown music for a ’90s-style sunrise in the chill-out room.
    — Jack Denton, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of featured

Browse Nearby Words

played out
played up
played (upon)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Played up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played%20up. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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