hard to downplay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hard to downplay" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that is difficult to minimize or make seem less important. Example: "The impact of climate change is hard to downplay, given the evidence we have gathered over the years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

But when you have the best record in the NBA, it's hard to downplay your credentials.

The Guardian - Sport

It's hard to downplay the huge benefits this will bring to those individuals in later life.

The Guardian - Opinion

The twin thing, though, is something they try hard to downplay: "A lot of artists work collaboratively," says Jane. "No one works in isolation.

Independent

Stress had caused a haze of pink to cloud her eyes, a mild case of conjunctivitis that she tried hard to downplay.

The New Yorker

But surprisingly, it's even easier to criticize BP's behavior since the explosion — the company has tried hard to downplay the scale of the tragedy and it has moved slowly to stop the torrent of oil pouring into the Gulf.

Harvard Business Review

Even the researchers whose trial of a potential drug for Ebola made headlines last week worked hard to downplay the glimmer of efficacy it showed.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

It's going to be harder to suddenly downplay his abortion policy, do a U-turn on ethanol subsidies, support comprehensive immigration reform and then suddenly come out 100% anti-amnesty.

The Guardian - Opinion

Critics of representation often argue that the Olympics try too hard to promote inclusion and downplay the significance when these social pioneers pull up the rear in competition.

The Washington Post

Its consistency has made it harder for Trump to downplay the racially charged atmosphere that he conjured in his early rallies.

The New Yorker

"If Brand America slips far enough in people's esteem, there is a chance that American brands will one day have to work harder than others to downplay the negative associations of their country of origin.

The Guardian

Unlike her father, who was seen by many as an extremist, since becoming leader of the FN in 2011 Marine Le Pen has worked hard to "detoxify" the movement, downplaying the strident anti-Semitism and crude biological racism that characterized her father's era.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hard to downplay" when you want to emphasize that the significance of something is substantial and cannot be easily minimized. It is effective for conveying the undeniable importance of a situation or fact.

Common error

Avoid constructing sentences where the subject performing the act of downplaying is unclear. For instance, instead of saying 'It's hard to downplay the benefits', specify who finds it hard to downplay the benefits for stronger clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard to downplay" functions as an evaluative descriptor, emphasizing the undeniable significance of a subject. As supported by Ludwig AI, it indicates that a particular aspect or situation is so prominent that minimizing its importance is challenging.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Formal & Business

18%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hard to downplay" is a grammatically correct and usable expression employed to emphasize that something is of significant importance and cannot be easily minimized. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for various contexts, especially within news and media, and formal settings. While the phrase enjoys a neutral tone, being frequently found in news and formal writing, it can also be used in opinion pieces. When employing it, it's crucial to clarify the subject and specify who finds it hard to downplay, to maintain clarity and strength in communication. Alternatives include "difficult to minimize" and "challenging to understate".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to minimize

Replaces "hard" with "difficult", focusing on the challenge of reducing something's importance.

challenging to understate

Uses "challenging" instead of "hard" and "understate" instead of "downplay", highlighting the difficulty in representing something as less significant.

not easy to diminish

Substitutes "hard" with "not easy" and "downplay" with "diminish", emphasizing the obstacle in lessening something.

difficult to trivialize

Replaces "downplay" with "trivialize", focusing on the difficulty in making something seem unimportant.

hard to underestimate

Uses "underestimate" instead of "downplay", shifting the focus to the difficulty in assessing something as less important than it is.

impossible to ignore

Emphasizes the difficulty in disregarding something altogether.

cannot be understated

Highlights that something's importance is significant and difficult to represent as smaller.

difficult to disregard

Focuses on the challenge of ignoring something, rather than minimizing it.

cannot be dismissed easily

Emphasizes that something cannot be quickly or simply rejected or considered unimportant.

significance is undeniable

Shifts the focus to the irrefutable importance of something, rather than the difficulty in minimizing it.

FAQs

What does "hard to downplay" mean?

The phrase "hard to downplay" means that something is so significant or evident that it is difficult to minimize its importance or impact.

How can I use "hard to downplay" in a sentence?

You can use "hard to downplay" to emphasize the importance of a fact or situation, such as 'It's "hard to downplay" the role of education in societal progress'.

What can I say instead of "hard to downplay"?

You can use alternatives like "difficult to minimize", "challenging to understate", or "impossible to ignore" depending on the context.

Is "hard to downplay" the same as "hard to underestimate"?

While similar, "hard to downplay" suggests difficulty in minimizing known significance, while "hard to underestimate" implies difficulty in assessing true value, potentially leading to underrating something.