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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to record
to make a written note of
we had the whole agreement put down on paper
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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
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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
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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
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
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 June 2026
With Matthew Potts and Ben Raine taking the new ball, Stokes had come on in the 11th over of the first day’s play and had a straightforward chance put down at leg slip by Ben McKinney from his fourth delivery.
—
Hector Vickers,
New York Times,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Noun
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
Verb
That part of you which wakes up a little earlier, to catch the first break of daylight over the Smokies; which pushes a little harder to climb that rock wall, puts down the phone and instead considers the simple wonder of a 200-year-old oak tree.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 June 2026
With Matthew Potts and Ben Raine taking the new ball, Stokes had come on in the 11th over of the first day’s play and had a straightforward chance put down at leg slip by Ben McKinney from his fourth delivery.
—
Hector Vickers,
New York Times,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put-down
Noun
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According to Spell and members of his congregation, the man had a history of verbally harassing them with threats, insults and racial slurs.
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Michael Lind, the writer and New America co-founder, argues in Commonplace, the magazine of Oren Cass’s American Compass, that a decent wage and a safety net should be enough, and that handing workers a stake in capital insults the dignity of their labor.
Noun
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The Supreme Court's decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 160,000 Haitians in South Florida and hundreds of thousands more nationwide has drawn sharp criticism from local officials and raised concerns about the future of families in the region.
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The investigation also compliments previous claims that CCC’s regulations impede coastal infrastructure projects, which has drawn criticism from multiple political fronts over the last year.
Verb
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In April, the Superior Court dismissed the three citations Hubbard received in May 2025 when no park ranger or city attorney appeared for the prosecution, his lawsuit states.
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Freeney did not dismiss the business side of the arrangement.
Verb
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In France, more than 1,000 excess deaths were recorded during the heat spell, according to the country’s national public health agency.
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The person recording the incident briefly turned the camera away after the blast.
Verb
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As luxury travel continues shifting toward experiences that prioritize authenticity over excess, wine country may be entering a new era—one where the bottle remains the starting point, but no longer the entire story.
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King concluded that Saulter was in a conspiracy to get King removed from office, and directed Arriola to view recordings of other cameras in the office to determine who was entering the offices of Saulter and Goodloe.
Verb
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Newsom has not said if the newer version of the bill quells this concern.
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For those who are worried, this might help to quell fears.
Verb
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The utility attributed the higher costs to broader market dynamics, including more expensive wholesale electricity and growing demand from large users such as manufacturers and data centers across PJM’s 13-state grid.
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Spending on Medi-Cal has more than doubled over the last 10 years, which the LAO attributes to an increase in costs per enrollee, more enrollees and a greater share of seniors seeking care, among other factors.
Verb
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While oysters in space appear to be a newer research opportunity, Harrisburg states that humans have been eating these creatures for 100,000 years, based on archaeology findings.
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Is low-carb or low-fat eating healthier for your heart?
Cite this Entry
“Put-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-down. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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