SHOOT DOWN Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

shoot down

verb

Definition of shoot down

as in to ridicule

to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter nowadays the aging activist is routinely shot down in most quarters of the media and dismissed as an irrelevant crank

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to dismiss

to reject by or as if by a vote every one of my fund-raising ideas was shot down by the other club members

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to refute

to prove to be false the results of several studies shoot down the hypothesis that coffee causes heart attacks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 shoot down Ukraine has also deployed Jet Ski–size marine drones that have shot down Russian fighter jets and sunk or damaged at least 19 warships, effectively neutralizing Russia’s Black Sea fleet. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 28 Sep. 2026 All the drones were shot down and caused no damage, authorities said, adding the action underscored Pakistan's round-the-clock vigilance and readiness. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026 In the movie, Russia shoots down a defunct satellite and creates a cloud of debris, leading to serious tension in orbit. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026 Boca Raton voters clearly shot down municipal and private vast expansion of downtown areas. — Peggy Gossett-Seidman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shoot down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoot down

Verb

At the sectarian level, Baptists ridiculed Quakers, Presbyterians oppressed Anabaptists.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had been ridiculed by lawmakers for a costly $220 million ad featuring her on horseback warning against immigrating to the United States illegally.

— Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of ridicule

Verb

The complaint escalates the department’s battle with the federal judiciary, which has halted administration priorities, dismissed high-profile prosecutions and accused government lawyers in some cases of failing to comply with court orders.

— Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
The state did not seek to dismiss allegations related to Morrissey’s statements to the media or to her agreement to log a cache of bullets under a separate case number, functionally hiding them from the defense.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of dismiss

Verb

However, in July, Wayne released a message refuting reports of an engagement, referring to a relationship with someone in the past tense, albeit without mentioning them by name.

— Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 29 Sep. 2026
And Brashares’ own wedding dress story doesn’t exactly refute that feeling.

— Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of refute

Verb

On June 18, Reese appeared to mock Clark for trying to draw a foul after the two made contact.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Nike’s experimented with other applications such as mules and tennis shoes, but the results were mocked if not downright disastrous.

— Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of mock

Verb

In Gaza City, a strike hit a car, killing one person and wounding several others, according to Shifa Hospital.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
This opaqueness from earlier in the season pays off in the form of John recounting the brutal methods the Manhunter used to decimate this planet, involving a fear gas that made people kill one another and jump to their deaths.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of kill

Verb

But the two bills Newsom vetoed on Wednesday, AB 1881 and AB 2218, sought to redress those historic wrongs by requiring the state to take Indigenous history with land and waterways into account, proponents of them said.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
The governor also vetoed a bill authored by Assemblymember James Ramos (D-Highland) that would have established protections for tribes to hold religious ceremonies at sacred sites on state lands.

— Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of veto

Verb

But bad news continued as a leading ratings agency slashed its outlook for BMW to negative from stable, as analysts wondered if the German manufacturing base might be under threat.

— Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
The move is part of Moody’s broader revision of its outlook for private credit investment vehicles to negative.

— Sharon Klyne, Bloomberg, 8 Apr. 2026

Definition of negative

Browse Nearby Words

shoot at

shoot down

shooter

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Style

“Shoot down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoot%20down. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of shoot down

verb

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