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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Recent Examples of played up
Yet these playoffs open without a dominant team partly because Buffalo, a preseason title favorite, hasn't consistently played up to that level.
—
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 5 Jan. 2026
Draymond and Trae have not played up to expectations.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
But the rookie has mostly played up to his standard since.
—Sam Warren, Houston Chronicle, 2 Jan. 2026
While Gomez has played Mabel Mora on Hulu's whodunit since its premiere in 2021, Park played up-and-coming actress Kimber Min as a recurring character for just one season in 2023.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
And thus concludes our all-too-brief journey into Campy Flouncing, a modality of the show that was very played up in marketing materials.
—Lily Osler, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
For his audience, Guede played up the resilience that 2Africa would provide his country.
—Samanth Subramanian, The Dial, 14 Oct. 2025
In lobbying for a looser interpretation of copyright regs, the big AI players have played up the fact that restrictions would give China an edge in the AI race.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
Another prominent shoe style from the show also played up color contrast.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for played up
Verb
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The team also highlighted that the zinc-cellulose antenna is rolled up and placed inside a capsule along with the drug to be delivered.—
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One of my favorite stops at Basin that highlighted all the benefits of a thermotherapy circuit was the Kneipp pool.—
Verb
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Zeug emphasized the system’s readiness.—
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This, Johnson emphasized, is now a new season.—
Verb
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The study’s lead author, Sven Isaksson, professor of archaeological science at Stockholm University’s Archaeological Research Laboratory, stressed the significance of the findings in an email to CNN.—
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These raw materials are indispensable for industries from defense to technology, and the administration has repeatedly stressed their importance for US national security.—
Verb
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All products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors.—
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While the first film featured a relatively original premise and some genuine emotional dynamics in its suspenseful situations, this one just feels rote.—
Cite this Entry
“Played up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/played%20up. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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