play up
Third Person
plays up
Present Participle
playing up
Past Tense
played up
Past Participle
played up
1
to make something seem more important or noticeable by highlighting it
transitive
- She decided to play up her strengths during the interview.
- The company chose to play the benefits of the product up in their advertising campaign.
- He plays up his connections to make himself seem more influential.
- The media often plays up minor incidents, causing unnecessary panic.
- To make the story more engaging, the author played up the main character's internal conflict.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
2
to act in an insincere way, to gain favor or approval from someone else
- Knowing the importance of the client, he played up during the entire meeting.
- The interns tend to play up when they're seeking a full-time position.
- She always plays up when influential people are around.
- He always plays up to the boss whenever there's a promotion on the line.
3
(of machines or equipment) to not work properly
- I need to replace this blender; it's been playing up recently.
- My laptop has started to play up; I might need to get it checked.
- If you overload the washing machine, it will likely play up.
- My car's engine plays up whenever the weather gets too cold.
- The old radio plays up and only receives a few stations clearly.
4
to cause discomfort or trouble
- His old injury tends to play up when the weather gets cold.
- Her allergies play up whenever she's around cats.
- I've been avoiding cold drinks because my tooth has started to play up.
- Whenever she runs for extended periods, her knee plays up and causes her pain.
5
to perform with enhanced energy or determination
- As the competition neared its end, he played up, trying to catch up to the leading competitors.
- After the coach's pep talk during halftime, the players came out ready to play up and turn the game around.
- The band played up during the finale, giving the audience an energetic performance to remember.
- Seeing they were behind in the score, the team decided to play up in the second half.
- Knowing that scouts were watching, she decided to play up during the match to showcase her full potential.