as in slighting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
there's no need for belittling comments about your brother's trumpet playing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dismissing
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
belittled the action star's acting ability
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of belittling
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 14 Jan. 2023
The boundaries revolve around disrespectful or belittling speech.
—Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 28 Sep. 2020
Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
But relatability can also be a reductive, even belittling lens through which to view any artist’s work.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for belittling
Adjective
Yet, since sometime before July 23, 2022, an anonymous user has been steadily updating IMDb’s trivia section on Corsage with hostile and belittling comments presented under the guise of background information.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 14 Jan. 2023
The boundaries revolve around disrespectful or belittling speech.
—Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 28 Sep. 2020
Verb
Her snide answers to their belittling questions are smart and iconoclastic, setting the stage for the other characters in the movie who also think outside the box.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
But relatability can also be a reductive, even belittling lens through which to view any artist’s work.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for belittling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belittling
Verb
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The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, dismissing the man who traded away fan-favorite Luka Dončić in one of the most shocking NBA trades in recent memory.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
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On Wednesday, in documents obtained by Rolling Stone, a California superior court judge overseeing the lawsuit ruled in favor of Kardashian and the anti-SLAPP motion, effectively dismissing the other Cantu’s lawsuit, though the judge left open the possibility of an appeal.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Altman seems to find the question insulting.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
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To educate all of them in similar ways is insulting, and silly.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Hence, minimizing adjacent snow buildup is vital for maintaining power output in alpine PV systems.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
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Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In a post dripping with arrogance, Lynch dished out demeaning nicknames for her recent opponents.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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But parading around half-naked at competitions felt demeaning.—
Sean Williams,
Outside,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Before the night was out, Germans began chipping away at the barrier, carrying off chunks of one of the symbols of the diminishing Iron Curtain.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
9 Nov. 2025
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Business leaders say that such policies risk accelerating an exodus of companies, diminishing the city’s commercial tax base, and ultimately affecting services and jobs essential to millions of New Yorkers.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Emily’s father didn’t say it in a disparaging way—more like That was just Ryan.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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And there would be lots of soldiers around, either Army or National Guard, and the people who were civilians would be young people, very disparaging about the military.—
Steve Baltin,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Though George Washington and the press started off amicably, their relationship grew more adversarial once journalists began criticizing the nation’s first president.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Nov. 2025
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Mamdani — who came under fire during the race for his past comments criticizing the New York Police Department — on Wednesday also reiterated his intention to keep the city’s current police commissioner, Jessica Tisch.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Bosch also emphasized her respect for Thailand and encouraged women not to tolerate degrading treatment.—
Sarah Moreno,
Miami Herald,
4 Nov. 2025
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Charles Rolsky, executive director and senior research scientist at the Shaw Institute, a nonprofit focusing on the links between environmental and human health, says that many studies, including his own, suggest PVA can pass through wastewater treatment without completely degrading.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Belittling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belittling. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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