as in criticism
the act of making a person or a thing seem little or unimportant
an unconscionable belittlement of his assistant in public
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Recent Examples of belittlement
Apolline may embrace the social media aspects of her career but George’s belittlement rankles her.
—
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2025
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belittlement
Noun
-
Descovich dismisses the criticism.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Wise's role at the Justice Department drew criticism from congressional Democrats.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nowhere is there the vitriol or denigration found in MAGA gatherings.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
From the start, the denigration of the Iranian monarchy was at the center of the Islamic Republic’s official ideology.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And though Chalamet did not make such insults himself, his comments fit into this broader context of disparagement and dismissal.—
Chloe Angyal,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
-
As February ended, some of the things coming out of the coaches’ mouths felt more like despair than disparagement.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Reporting on this new policy prompted public condemnation as well as a letter of inquiry from senior House Republicans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
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The bill drew swift condemnation from rights groups and Muslim-majority countries including Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.—
Gonzalo Zegarra,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Texas court’s decision not only allows Exxon to continue to prosecute a serious defamation lawsuit against Bonta, but a key finding by that court may also implicate him in multiple violations of California anti-corruption laws.—
Will Swaim,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
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Liman’s decision drops Lively’s claims of harassment, defamation and conspiracy, meaning the trial will now center on alleged breach of contract and retaliation by Wayfarer and aiding and abetting retaliation by the PR firm working for Baldoni.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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During the men’s Euros in 2024, police forces reported 351 incidents of domestic abuse as being football-related.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
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The abuse allegations were reported to local law enforcement, said Lauren Fisher Flores, the lawyer representing the girl.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Yet Beijing has rebuffed the White House’s call to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, a request that invited ridicule from Chinese propaganda outlets and online bloggers.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
17 Mar. 2026
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Among regime critics, the new leader’s lack of presence – both literal and figurative – has prompted ridicule.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Keep receipts and other documents related to your purchase, since the purchase price is used to calculate depreciation for tax purposes.—
Nancy Ashburn,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
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There's also the robot lifespan to consider; a March 12 SEC filing cited a four-year depreciation period for them.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belittlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belittlement. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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