Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

underplay

/ˌʌndɚplˈeɪ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.77 in modern English

Syllables: un-der-play
IPA: /ˌʌndɚplˈeɪ/

15

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The act of underplaying.

verb

To play in a subordinate, or in an inferior manner; to underact a part.

Transitive verb

verb

To make something seem less important than it really is.

Transitive verb

verb

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

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"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."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Indo-European *-tér Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér Proto-Indo-European *h₂én Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-? Proto-Indo-European *-dʰi ? Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí Proto-Indo-European *-ér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér Proto-Germanic *under Proto-West Germanic *undar Old English under- Middle English under- English under- English play English underplay From under- + play.

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

underplays (present, singular) underplaying (participle, present) underplayed (participle, past) underplayed (past)

Synonyms

belittle downplay understate bagatellize banalize cut down de-emphasize denigrate degrade deprecate derogate disparage

Rhymes With

they way may day say one-way away play today pay stay re

Questions

How do you pronounce underplay?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌʌndɚplˈeɪ/.
What does underplay mean?: The act of underplaying.
Where does underplay come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Indo-European *-tér Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér Proto-Indo-European *h₂én Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-? Proto-Indo-European *-dʰi ? Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí Proto-Indo-European *-ér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér Proto-Germanic *under Proto-West Germanic *undar Old English under- Middle English under- English under- English play English underplay From under- + play.

How to pronounce underplay

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “underplay”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌʌndɚplˈeɪ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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