1
as in insults
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in defamations
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of put-downs
When Marilyn Walker was a little girl, her grandmother introduced her to sarcasm through genteel put-downs that sounded sweet but weren’t.
—
Angela Haupt, Time, 10 Mar. 2026
Watch a season of the Y2K reality juggernaut and the tone will vacillate wildly between cringe-worthy put-downs via Janice Dickinson, cringier photoshoots, feel-good runway lessons with Miss J, and body positivity monologues from Tyra Banks.
—Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
Crockett, a representative from a deep-blue district that includes much of Dallas, has attained fame with snappy put-downs of Republicans, many of which have gone viral on social media.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Many of them are amusing enough to get chuckles and the odd big laugh but a little more wit amongst the throwaway put-downs would have been welcome.
—Richard Kuipers, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Angela Haupt, Time, 10 Mar. 2026
Watch a season of the Y2K reality juggernaut and the tone will vacillate wildly between cringe-worthy put-downs via Janice Dickinson, cringier photoshoots, feel-good runway lessons with Miss J, and body positivity monologues from Tyra Banks.
—Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
Crockett, a representative from a deep-blue district that includes much of Dallas, has attained fame with snappy put-downs of Republicans, many of which have gone viral on social media.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Many of them are amusing enough to get chuckles and the odd big laugh but a little more wit amongst the throwaway put-downs would have been welcome.
—Richard Kuipers, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put-downs
Noun
-
The other guys are on their feet, trying to break it up, someone is calling someone else a loser, there are swings and kicks and insults, men grabbing at other men, trying to restrain them and busting the restraints.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
-
After discussion with my editors, ProPublica decided to note the insults in the story.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
First seen at a night-club table of menacing lowlifes, Ida, whose mother tongue is Brooklynese, suddenly switches to a heavy British accent and dispenses a torrent of highly literary sarcasms.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Mitchell has heard all the criticisms of not being able to get out of the second round.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
-
The most contentious and controversial being some very pointed criticisms of Ole Miss, his former school.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
In addition to condemnations of oil and gas companies, the war has reignited calls for more hardline windfall taxes on fossil fuel firms.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
With a few notable exceptions, Leo kept his political remarks to the leaders largely diplomatic, using a language of encouragement and subtle messaging rather than headline-grabbing condemnations.—
NICOLE WINFIELD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
15 May 2026
-
Parents described this practice as reminiscent of past abuses in government schools that ravaged Native communities.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Put-downs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-downs. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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