talk down

verb

talked down; talking down; talks down

intransitive verb

: to speak in a condescending or oversimplified fashion

transitive verb

: to disparage or belittle by talking

Synonyms of talk down

• dismiss
• minimize
• diminish
• run down
• play down

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

The influencer, or their manager, already expects to be talked down. — Chris Ryan, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O’Dowd, and Bryan Cranston lead an excellent voice cast in a family film that doesn’t talk down to the little ones while also providing cozy comfort for their parents. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 17 July 2026

In a daring high-wire act high above the East River, fearless NYPD cops spent nearly an hour on a span of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge talking down a woman desperately threatening to jump. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026

The movie goes from this weird, seedy love motel to the industrial backwaters, and these long walks and talks down empty streets. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for talk down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

talk down

verb

: to speak in an overly simple manner as if to a person who does not know much