Words similar to downplaying

Example sentences for: downplaying

How can you use “downplaying” in a sentence? Here are some example sentences to help you improve your vocabulary:

Several shows react to the recent abortion fudges by John McCain and George W. Bush--in which both candidates assert their pro-life bona fides while downplaying the importance of the issue.
It wins credit for downplaying special effects in favor of story and "exploring the salutary effects of imminent doom" (Janet Maslin, the New York Times ). But it's said to be otherwise soporific, with too few action scenes and characters who seem oddly cavalier about their impending death.
While the other papers all call this the centerpiece of Clinton's China trip, the WP claims that Clinton's team thought the televised press conference with Jiang Zemin had usurped this role, and so were downplaying the Beijing speech.
Is The Post downplaying the Times scoop or did the NYT overplay its hand?
Just as old lefties could never concede that Alger Hiss was guilty and Kennedy hands must keep downplaying evidence of JFK's recklessness, they'll keep on spouting the spin.