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
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
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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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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
Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
The perfect vague yet totally true aphorism to throw at any put-down.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 31 Jan. 2025
Charlie Mason, TVLine, 18 May 2025
The uprising was put down by government forces during Uruguay’s military dictatorship, and Mujica was subsequently imprisoned for nearly 15 years, enduring many forms of torture.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Noun
Ageism shows up, for example, in some commercials, with the cliched generational put-downs.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
The perfect vague yet totally true aphorism to throw at any put-down.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 31 Jan. 2025
Verb
When members of the group croak, they aren’t put down, they’re merely put… out.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 18 May 2025
The uprising was put down by government forces during Uruguay’s military dictatorship, and Mujica was subsequently imprisoned for nearly 15 years, enduring many forms of torture.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put-down
Noun
-
They were quickly showered with boos and insults, along with various food items and beverages, including my mother’s large Pepsi.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2025
-
The statue was widely reviled by locals, who saw its abstract look as ugly and an insult to the first lady.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
16 May 2025
Noun
-
Also rejected was a proposal soliciting a report on warehouse working conditions, a perennial source of criticism of the company.—
Greg Bensinger,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
-
The Context Carville's comments are a stark departure from his longtime criticisms of Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most progressive members of the House of Representatives.—
Sonam Sheth,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 May 2025
Verb
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The charges were dismissed because West’s cause of death was not determined, and some evidence had been illegally obtained. (Netflix) Lewis was convicted of six counts of mail fraud in a 1981 credit card scheme in Kansas City.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2025
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The case against him was ultimately dismissed last July after the prosecutors committed a Brady violation.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
24 May 2025
Verb
-
The longest humpback whale migration ever recorded was 8,106 miles, from South America to Africa, though more typical distances are around 5,000 miles.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
20 May 2025
-
The Hamptons episode, recorded in August 2024, is one of the podcast’s most listened to episodes since the show was acquired by SiriusXM last year.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
20 May 2025
Verb
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The Texas Department of Public Safety runs the database but local law enforcement agencies are responsible for entering the names.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
18 May 2025
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Stewart opens her film with blood slowly entering the frame and mixing with the remnants of a shower swirling down a drain.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
17 May 2025
Verb
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It’s also infused with aloe and calendula extracts, which are soothing to skin and help quell redness.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
15 May 2025
-
Several protesters were injured, some of them critically, by Flash-balls fired by riot police, or by cops sent out to quell demonstrations that were growing increasingly unwieldy.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2025
Verb
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The Education Department reported a 5.5% backlog despite a 62% spike in requests, which the agency attributed to tech upgrades and department-wide training.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
18 May 2025
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The death was originally classified as an accident and attributed to congenital heart abnormalities, even though his parents said there had never been any sign of such problems.—
Jacey Fortin,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Verb
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This spot for soccer fans offers lots of pub fare to eat and drink.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2025
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The calls came while eating lunch, while lying in bed at night.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Put-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-down. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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