put-down

1 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of putting down
especially : a humiliating remark

put down

2 of 2

verb

put down; putting down; puts down

transitive verb

1
: to bring to an end : stop
put down a riot
2
b
: disparage, belittle
mentioned his poetry only to put it down
c
: disapprove, criticize
was put down for the way she dressed
d
: humiliate, squelch
put him down with a sharp retort
3
: to make ineffective : check
put down the gossip
4
: to do away with (an injured, sick, or aged animal) : destroy
5
a
: to put in writing
b
: to enter in a list
6
a
: to place in a category
I put him down as a hypochondriacO. S. J. Gogarty
b
: attribute
put it down to inexperience
7
: to pack or preserve for future use
8
: consume
putting down helping after helpingCarson McCullers
Phrases
put down roots
: to establish a permanent residence

Examples of put-down in a Sentence

Verb he has the annoying habit of putting down others under the guise of offering constructive criticism we had the whole agreement put down on paper
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Smiths were never embraced by American tastemakers (reviewers resorted to snide put-downs), so the band developed a silent-majority coterie — a Make Music Great Again following. Armond White, National Review, 17 Nov. 2023 Jo, who also briefly worked with the same team, confirmed that the general atmosphere was one of put-downs and bullying. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 7 Nov. 2023 The lyrics are crafted with precision, and each bar has the potential to caption Instagram posts from selfies to put-downs. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 28 Sep. 2023 That may be the most common put-down of the White House dreamers who are languishing in the pre-primary polls. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 11 Sep. 2023 But on Tuesday, the professor intercepted his student’s request and ran it back for a put-down. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2023 In a group chat, a toxic friend may make fun of a mutual acquaintance and egg on others to join in with the put-downs. Women's Health, 10 May 2023 Such offers of advice, however, no matter how well-meaning (in other words, focused on connection), are often heard as criticism—and therefore as put-downs. Deborah Tannen, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2016 As Little Red helps herself to a trove of sugary treats, skips across the stage with her basket of baked goods, and tangles with a flamboyantly sinister Wolf (Creel), Geraghty delivers deadpan witticisms, eye-rolling put-downs, and arch comebacks. Christopher Wallenberg, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Mar. 2023
Verb
In the final, Johns returned a sense of normalcy to the Men’s Pro singles draws, putting down his closest rival 8,4 to claim his 34th career PPA title. Todd Boss, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 The couple submitted an offer for $550,000, putting down 19.5%, which Park received as a gift from his parents. Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024 Wilson is keen for the pair to put down roots together. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 20 Feb. 2024 Many four-year colleges traditionally have required students to commit and put down a deposit by May 1. Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 Secret Service asked one barber to put down his razor while the president was within arm’s reach, sparking a few sideways glances and some chuckles. Zeke Miller, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2024 Some of this can be put down to the weight and thickness of the foldable phone, but these concerns have been engineered away over time. Ewan Spence, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Portman is taking in Moore; Moore resists by meeting Portman’s gaze and staring her into momentary submission, while also passive-aggressively putting down her daughter (Elizabeth Yu). Wesley Morris, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024 Instead, the eldest Quintanilla sibling chose to put down her drumsticks and move behind the scenes to work at the family’s entertainment company, Q-Productions. Selena Barrientos, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'put-down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1932, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of put-down was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near put-down

Cite this Entry

“Put-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put-down. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

put down

verb
1
: to bring to an end by force
put down a riot
2
: to write down (as in a list)
3
put-down
ˈpu̇t-ˌdau̇n
noun
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