1
[ verb ] move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent

Synonyms

highlight spotlight foreground

Examples

"The introduction highlighted the speaker's distinguished career in linguistics"

Used in print

(Los Angeles Times...)

The West_Berlin crisis is being played_up artificially because it is needed by the United_States to justify its arms drive '' .

Related terms

background background emphasize highlight highlight highlighter

2
[ verb ] make itself felt; as of recurring pains

Synonyms

act_up

Examples

"My arthritis is acting up again"

Related terms

ache

3
[ verb ] ingratiate oneself to; often with insincere behavior

Synonyms

cotton_up shine_up sidle_up suck_up cozy_up

Examples

"She is playing up to the chairman"

Related terms

ingratiate

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Similar Spelling

playboy play_off

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