0 to emphasize a particular quality or part of something, or make it seem more important than it really is, usually for your own advantage:
1 to emphasize something or try to make people believe it is important:
It's said that he plays up his working class background in order to broaden his appeal.
It would be wise to play up your strengths rather than draw attention to your weaknesses.
She made herself out to be a real do-gooder, playing up her connection with aid organizations.
The programme played up the positive benefits of the drug without giving a really honest account of the drawbacks.
The fact that he was a war veteran was really played up in the election campaign.
