play down (v.)
- abate
- allay
- alleviate
- assuage
- attemper
- belittle
- blunt
- chasten
- constrain
- control
- damp
- dampen
- de-emphasize
- deaden
- deprecate
- depreciate
- diminish
- downplay
- dull
- dwarf
- extenuate
- lay
- lenify
- lessen
- lighten
- minify
- minimize
- mitigate
- moderate
- modulate
- mute
- obtund
- palliate
- reduce
- restrain
- slacken
- smother
- sober
- soft-pedal
- soften
- stifle
- subdue
- suppress
- tame
- temper
- underplay
- weaken