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

Noun new hires always have to deal with put-downs and practical jokes from the older employees your never-ending put-down of my musical talents is really starting to annoy me 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
There is no end of put-downs that attach to the job of vice president, a position that’s widely treated as irrelevant when its occupant is not ignored altogether. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024 The result is a book laden with put-downs of the English working class, who are cast in eugenicist terms as a degenerate race. Lennard J. Davis, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2024
Verb
Just make sure not to put down mulch too early in fall, which can delay dormancy and make plants more susceptible to damage from the cold. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024 About 55% believe happiness means putting down roots like buying a home, while 45% think happiness means having the freedom to relocate anywhere. Luisa Beltran, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for put-down 

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 10 Oct. 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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