WordWeb Online

1. Move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent
   "The introduction played up the speaker's distinguished career in linguistics";
   - foreground, highlight, spotlight
    
2. Ingratiate oneself to; often with insincere behaviour
   "She is playing up to the chairman";
   - cozy up, cotton up, shine up, sidle up, suck up

Derived forms: played up, playing up, plays up

Type of: bring out, ingratiate, set off

Antonym: play down