talk down

verb

talked down; talking down; talks down
Synonyms of talk downnext

intransitive verb

: to speak in a condescending or oversimplified fashion

transitive verb

: to disparage or belittle by talking

Examples of talk down in a Sentence

a company that prefers to talk up its own products rather than talk down those of its competitors
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
After Jacksonville, after years of fans feeling talked down to and reporters feeling undermined, this silly little event served a purpose for a change. Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026 Heckerling and the incredible cast never talk down to the audience, creating main characters that viewers root for, despite the obvious digs at the ultra-rich. Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026 In these settings, the men tend to talk down to me or dismiss my expertise. R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026 Simultaneously, Paramount is hoping to talk down Netflix stock, which has suffered from recent market headwinds. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for talk down

Word History

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of talk down was in 1642

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Talk down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/talk%20down. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

talk down

verb
: to speak in an overly simple manner as if to a person who does not know much
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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