1
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
new hires always have to deal with put-downs and practical jokes from the older employees
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in criticism
the act of making a person or a thing seem little or unimportant
your never-ending put-down of my musical talents is really starting to annoy me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
he has the annoying habit of putting down others under the guise of offering constructive criticism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to record
to make a written note of
we had the whole agreement put down on paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to enter
to put (someone or something) on a list
put her down as one of the chaperones for the field trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to quell
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
a tyrant who ruthlessly put down uprisings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to attribute
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
a fender bender that probably can be put down to the young driver's inexperience
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to eat
to take in as food
the husky youngster seemed to put down her own weight in food at one sitting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of put-down
Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 9 Dec. 2025
Because all those snarky memes and cheeky presidential put-downs won’t seem so funny if JD Vance is inaugurated in January 2029.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2025
Terri Huggins Hart, Parents, 1 Mar. 2026
Another pit bull owned by the same roommate had also recently been put down, according to Burton.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Noun
And the jubilation likely expressed in Moscow over Washington’s put-downs of Europe is reminiscent of the glee over Trump and Vance’s public scolding of Zelensky in the Oval Office later that month.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 9 Dec. 2025
Because all those snarky memes and cheeky presidential put-downs won’t seem so funny if JD Vance is inaugurated in January 2029.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2025
Verb
Delivering compliments that put down a child's race or ethnicity is not.
—Terri Huggins Hart, Parents, 1 Mar. 2026
Another pit bull owned by the same roommate had also recently been put down, according to Burton.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put-down
Noun
-
Recovery has scarcely begun, but insult is being added to fire victims’ injuries as local officials — especially Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass — engage in a tawdry game of finger-pointing.—
Dan Walters,
Oc Register,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The last of these, which would have been an insult in previous eras, is part of the Buttigieg value proposition.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Be willing to listen to criticism.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Traders landing six-figure payouts associated with the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and the death of Iran's supreme leader drew criticism from lawmakers in Washington and critics of the apps.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, these picture-perfect images are often dismissed as advertisements that ignore the far less glamorous issues in the destination, including human rights abuses.—
Tamara Hardingham-Gill,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Prosecutors dismissed doxxing charges in the Baldwin Park case after a Homeland Security investigator told the court the address that protesters shouted on the livestream was a few houses away from where Reyes lived.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Miller recorded a double-double, pouring in 22 points to go with 13 rebounds, and fell five assists shy of recording his first career triple-double.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The son of Gun Runner who cost $3 million at a sale last March recorded a 101 Beyer figure in a flashy 5½-furlong debut last summer, and followed that win with another in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity.—
Jay Posner,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Four minutes after entering the game, Silvetti, the 20-year-old Argentine, launched a long-distance diagonal shot that landed inside the left post to give Miami hope.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Passionate Mars enters your 6th house to highlight your work-life balance, urging steady action on the daily tasks that keep everything humming.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Khamenei often used the broad range of powers at his disposal to quell dissent.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
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In Utah Territory the US government cracked down on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its impressive theocracy, seeking to quell religious dissent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jim O’Connor, ValenSil’s buyer and hiring manager, attributed the production drop-off to the steep tariffs on inputs like aluminum and the heavily unpredictable nature of how they’ve been implemented.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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The report attributed that increase to the local minimum wage rising during that period and outpacing the state’s minimum wage, as well as state credit given to restaurants with tipping that has remained the same.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In Queens, check out the art at MoMA PS1 or spend an afternoon eating your way through Astoria or Flushing, known for standout Greek and Chinese cuisine, respectively.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Many studies suggest that eating breakfast earlier may help regulate blood sugar.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Put-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-down. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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