1
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
new hires always have to deal with put-downs and practical jokes from the older employees
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in criticism
the act of making a person or a thing seem little or unimportant
your never-ending put-down of my musical talents is really starting to annoy me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
he has the annoying habit of putting down others under the guise of offering constructive criticism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to record
to make a written note of
we had the whole agreement put down on paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to enter
to put (someone or something) on a list
put her down as one of the chaperones for the field trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to quell
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
a tyrant who ruthlessly put down uprisings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to attribute
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
a fender bender that probably can be put down to the young driver's inexperience
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to eat
to take in as food
the husky youngster seemed to put down her own weight in food at one sitting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of put-down
Jenna Ryu, SELF, 27 Mar. 2025
Ageism shows up, for example, in some commercials, with the cliched generational put-downs.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
Fortune Editors, Fortune, 2 July 2025
And the movie raises the idea of putting down those comforts for something new.
—Devonne Goode, Parents, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Noun
Some in-laws may be more subtle with their put-downs.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 27 Mar. 2025
Ageism shows up, for example, in some commercials, with the cliched generational put-downs.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
Verb
Most people are shocked to find out, the average first-time homebuyer’s putting down single-digit-percentage down payment.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 2 July 2025
And the movie raises the idea of putting down those comforts for something new.
—Devonne Goode, Parents, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put-down
Noun
-
Adding insult, he was called for eight fouls in Tuesday night’s victory over the Golden State Warriors, with players allowed 10 in summer league, four above the regular-season maximum.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
9 July 2025
-
Amid the mix of compliments and insults from obvious trolls, many thought ATB bore a striking resemblance to another member of the family.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Nearly a dozen law enforcement agencies statewide have signed partnership agreements with ICE, drawing criticisms from some residents.—
Lucas Aulbach,
The Courier-Journal,
8 July 2025
-
That decision drew sharp criticism from European football chiefs.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
They have since been dismissed by the local solicitor general's office, WSB-TV reported.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
-
So far, nearly 60,000 federal employees have been dismissed, with the State Department layoffs marking the latest round of cuts.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
Verb
-
To share the story of your unsung hero with the Hidden Brain team, record a voice memo on your phone and send it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.—
Autumn Barnes,
NPR,
7 July 2025
-
Thibodeaux is the first Giants defender since Jason Pierre-Paul (2010–2012) to record at least 21 sacks within his first three years in the league.—
Victor Williams,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
The irreplaceable power of human relationships — of teacher-student trust — must remain central, especially as AI enters the classroom.—
C.M. Rubin,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
Timothy Oakes, 34, from the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation (AMIR) in Canada, was arrested on June 15 while trying to enter the U.S. via the Massena, New York, port of entry, the Justice Department said.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
One company helping Americans relocate to the Netherlands, GTFO Tours, reported a 200 percent increase in inquiries from U.S. nationals in the days following Trump's decision to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to quell anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles last month.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
-
The community town hall did little to quell resident's concerns.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
Moulton attributes the community’s interest in the arts, and the festival’s national reputation, to its continuous appeal.—
Zoey Thomas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 July 2025
-
Even more disturbingly, the FBI attributes at least 20 suicides of young boys to sextortion.—
Steve Weisman,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
Verb
-
This spot for soccer fans offers lots of pub fare to eat and drink.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2025
-
The calls came while eating lunch, while lying in bed at night.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Put-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-down. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share