Phrasal Verbs

play up (2)

This page is about the phrasal verb play up (2)

Meaning

to try to make something seem better, or more important, than it really is

Synonym

overstate

For example

  • play sth up Sales people know the strengths of each product they sell, and they play these strengths up when they're trying to make a sale.

  • play up sth Some hip-hop artists play up their violent past as gang members in order to gain credibility among fans.

Quick Quiz

In job interviews, Grace plays up the fact that she

a. has been fired from many jobs

b. has spent many years in jail

c. was top of her class in high school
a) has been fired from many jobs b) has spent many years in jail c) was top of her class in high school

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1000 Phrasal Verbs in Context

Contributor: Matt Errey