Which of the following words is the best single word substitute for the phrase "make something seem less important, significant, or trifling"?

Introduction / Context:
Single word substitution questions test your ability to match a descriptive phrase with a precise English word. Here the phrase is "make something seem less important, significant, or trifling". This is a common idea in discussions of media, communication, and attitudes, where speakers may accuse others of playing down the importance of a serious issue. You need to select the option that captures that meaning most accurately and compactly.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The given phrase is "make something seem less important, significant, or trifling".
• The options are "superintend", "optimality", "trivialize", and "dumb down".
• We are looking for a verb or verbal form that expresses the act of reducing perceived importance.
• Standard modern English usage is assumed.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is to distinguish between words that relate to importance and those that relate to management, quality, or simplification. The verb "trivialize" means to present or treat something as if it were unimportant or minor, that is, to make it seem trivial. This directly matches the phrase in the question. "Dumb down" means to simplify something so much that it becomes less complex and is aimed at a less educated audience, which shifts the meaning toward lowering intellectual level rather than directly making something seem unimportant. "Superintend" is about supervising or managing something, and "optimality" refers to being optimal or best, neither of which relates to reducing importance.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the core idea in the phrase, which is to make something appear less important or serious.Step 2: Recall that "trivial" means small, insignificant, or unimportant.Step 3: Recognize that "trivialize" is the verb form meaning to make something seem trivial or less important.Step 4: Examine "superintend", which means to supervise or manage, and see that it does not involve importance.Step 5: Examine "optimality", which refers to the condition of being best or most effective, again unrelated to playing down significance.Step 6: Examine "dumb down", which means to simplify in a way that reduces intellectual content rather than directly making something seem unimportant.Step 7: Conclude that "trivialize" is the only option that exactly fits the given phrase.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you check a dictionary, "trivialize" is defined along the lines of "to make something seem less important or serious than it really is". This matches each part of the phrase in the question. By contrast, definitions of "superintend" revolve around directing and supervising work. "Optimality" is an abstract noun related to optimization and has nothing to do with importance or significance in the sense of making something small. "Dumb down" is sometimes used when critics say that content has been simplified, but the focus is on reducing complexity, not on treating the subject as unimportant. Therefore, dictionary checks strongly confirm that "trivialize" is the correct substitute.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"Superintend" is wrong because it refers to overseeing or managing work or a place, such as superintending a project. "Optimality" is wrong because it describes a best possible state and clearly moves in the direction of effectiveness, not triviality. "Dumb down" comes closer in spirit because it can reduce seriousness, but its main meaning is to simplify something so that it is easier for people to understand; it does not inherently mean making something seem unimportant. Only "trivialize" directly captures the act of making something appear less important, significant, or trifling.

Common Pitfalls:
Many test takers are attracted to options that sound modern or informal, such as "dumb down", because they associate them with criticism or negative treatment. However, vocabulary questions demand precise meaning alignment rather than emotional tone. Others may pick "optimality" simply because it looks like a sophisticated academic word. A useful strategy is to break the phrase into core elements and then check each option against those elements. If an option only matches part of the idea but not all, it is usually not the best answer. This careful matching process leads you to "trivialize" as the most accurate substitute.

Final Answer:
The best single word substitute for the phrase is trivialize.