play up

Definitions of play up
  1. verb
    move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent
    synonyms: foreground, highlight, spotlight
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    Antonyms:
    background, downplay, play down
    understate the importance or quality of
    type of:
    bring out, set off
    direct attention to, as if by means of contrast
  2. verb
    ingratiate oneself to; often with insincere behavior
    “She is playing up to the chairman”
    synonyms: cotton up, cozy up, shine up, sidle up, suck up
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    type of:
    ingratiate
    gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts
Word Family
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