BELITTLES Synonyms: 64 Similar and Opposite Words

belittles

verb

present tense third-person singular of belittle

as in dismisses

to express scornfully one's low opinion of belittled the action star's acting ability

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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.

Recent Examples of belittles Will’s obsessive, put-upon mother, Susan (Tandi Wright), belittles Alice, dresses her down for her attire at the funeral, and forces her to wear heels that don’t fit, leaving her feet bloody. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 10 July 2026 Trump, on the other hand, belittles and degrades people every day. — Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026 Tanya Reynolds offers a broader glimpse of Caroline Bingley, a character who often belittles Mary. — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026 Morin says these conversations can strengthen a healthy relationship, or point out flaws in an unhealthy one, such as if your partner fails to take you seriously or belittles your feelings. — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026 But there are many people with a voice that belittles them. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for belittles

Verb

If your team is afraid to name real weaknesses, or if leadership dismisses uncomfortable truths, the analysis won’t do what it’s meant to do.

— Nancy Padberg, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Risks, but not existential ones Not everyone dismisses the risk quite so bluntly, though.

— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of dismisses

Verb

The impressive density of this overload, which embraces the possibilities of relatively new technology to find novel ways to deliver and compress context, diminishes as Carter is drawn to Japan by Izumi Adachi (Kiko Mizuhara).

— Vadim Rizov, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026
The governor’s effective yield to Harris diminishes the possibility of a showdown between two of California’s most powerful political figures in an election whose stakes are viewed by the Democratic Party as existential.

— Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of diminishes

Verb

The piece also criticizes media and academic discussions that portray Latino men and Latinas as politically opposed blocs.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
The Bolsonaro reaction Flávio Bolsonaro, by contrast, criticizes Brazilian democratic institutions – particularly the Supreme Court and the electoral system – as obstacles to restoring the country’s political order.

— Andre Pagliarini, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of criticizes

Verb

But if a broadcaster publicly questions or disparages the viability of candidates, especially the front-runner, as Kevin Collins did on social media during BC’s search process, employers keep those receipts and consequences should be no surprise.

— Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026
Still, Kennedy disparages germ theory and attempts to undermine it with shaky arguments.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026

Definition of disparages

Verb

For an administration that famously denigrates Chicago, Friday was a notably good day for federal money for the city’s historic status as a rail hub.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
These two characters have maybe two minutes of screentime between them, and yet a certain portion of the internet, and Elon Musk, have raged, gnashed teeth and howled to the wind about the way this denigrates a Greek classic.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of denigrates

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belittles

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“Belittles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belittles. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of belittles

verb

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