putting down

present participle of put down
1
2
3
4
5
as in attributing
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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of putting down Buying a pre-construction unit usually means putting down an initial deposit and paying in installments as the building gets closer to being completed. — Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026 Tristan, in the middle of putting down new wood shavings, looked at me shyly through the dust clouds. — Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026 According to a recent paper by the French Institute of International Relations, the SAF and its supporters claim to be putting down an armed rebellion as Sudan’s legitimate government. — Mat Nashed, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026 Despite the summer heat, both the brown and red boobies are not putting down roots in Maryland and have gone on their way. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2026 As Andoni said himself, this is about putting down the foundations for the season. — James Pearce, New York Times, 30 July 2026 Broady’s timeline was laid out pretty linearly for her from when Disney World allows people to reserve their trips by putting down $200. — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 For them, putting down 10% and paying for PMI may be fine, with an eye toward refinancing in the future. — Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 13 July 2026 Campbell is the chief antagonist of the first two seasons of the show, and is a man who made his name brutally putting down the Irish Republican Army in Belfast before being sent to Birmingham to take on Tommy Shelby and the organized crime gangs. — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putting down
Verb
  • Now with Jane Doe recanting her claims, Carter’s attorneys have filed a notice to the judge, dismissing all claims against her — though their case against her former attorney, Buzbee, still stands.
    — Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In previous orders, Kiir has alarmed observers by dismissing important officials.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Cassidy then began recording his own music and launched a solo career, producing five albums while on the show.
    — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In that span, the lefty has slugged 44 extra-base hits, including 24 home runs, while recording 17 steals in that 63-game stretch.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The tomb’s entrance passage, with narrowing walls and descending axis, creates a liminal stage to orient the body before entering the burial chamber.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The museum has cited safety concerns as one reason visitors will have to pass security controls before entering the plaza, and an adjacent park has no such barriers.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The break with Callaway was the first sign that Good Good’s attempts at quelling the crisis were not going well after Clark’s statement on social media Wednesday night.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • As Matt Reeves is hard at work in Gotham City, James Gunn is quelling some overeager fans about the timeline of the Batman trilogy.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • While captive whales often live only into their 30s, Marino said attributing their deaths to age fails to acknowledge the reality of why their lifespans are shorter.
    — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The late Pope Francis approved the beatification, attributing to Sheen the resuscitation of an infant born in 2010 without a pulse and revived only after lengthy efforts by medical workers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • This is even more true at Rumari Counter, a new experience with comfy stools for up to 10 diners per night who get the pleasure of eating a prix-fixe meal that will never be prepared again (the counter menu changes nightly).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
  • This cooking experience marks her first time teaching a group how to make bouyon, but the soup is nothing new for the chef, who grew up eating her mother’s version of the dish.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • There is now little doubt that minimizing the damage from climate will require phasing down fossil fuels and reducing livestock herds.
    — Stephanie Walton, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
  • This unique combination maintains all-to-all connectivity while minimizing the typical pitfalls of atom movement, including error accumulation, atom loss, and runtime delays.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The two are key pieces for the team, logging lots of ice time, driving play, and generating points.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • This does not include lands subject to significant extractive uses, like logging or mining, or disruptive recreation activities, like OHV off-road driving.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Putting down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putting%20down. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster