1
as in ridicules
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
2
as in kills
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
3
as in refutes
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
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Recent Examples of shoots down
Speculation soon followed that this effort was in response to the aforementioned test audience confusion, but Cronin shoots down that notion about the last-minute social media campaign.
—
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026
And in the comments of her introductory video, her team shoots down every plausible guess.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
The powerful big tech lobby shoots down any law remotely alludes to testing and regulating AI machines.
—The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026
And in the comments of her introductory video, her team shoots down every plausible guess.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
The powerful big tech lobby shoots down any law remotely alludes to testing and regulating AI machines.
—The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoots down
Verb
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Back in their teenage years, Lexi’s older sister Andrea is depicted as a mean girl who ridicules Catherine mercilessly.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
9 Jan. 2026
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Then there’s the loud kind, where the audience openly ridicules you.—
Adrienne LaFrance,
The Atlantic,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The deal, which was first announced last month, kills a ballot measure effort that could have cost San Diego $300 million by prohibiting the city from collecting anything for trash service during fiscal years 2028 and 2029.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
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In 1995, Guidera landed the role of Robbie Llywelyn, the diabetic man that Natasha Henstridge’s Sil kills in Roger Donaldson’s Species.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
Verb
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There is extensive evidence — including Slack and WhatsApp messages, company documents, and witness testimony — that unequivocally refutes her claims.—
Stacy Perman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
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Heuermann's ex-wife refutes wrongful death lawsuit Heuermann's ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, and her daughter with Heuermann have been named in a wrongful death lawsuit that was brought by the son of victim Valerie Mack.—
Jeff Capellini,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Today’s newsletter highlights Burt Jones mocks Rick Jackson’s explanation for missing today’s debate.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
1 June 2026
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Sam mocks Blaine’s fear, reminding him that death comes for us all.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Bisignano dismisses the criticism.—
Fatima Hussein,
Chicago Tribune,
9 June 2026
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Steve dismisses the idea, but Alice is already playing wing-woman.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Here, Colman Domingo’s renegade intelligence operative also refuses to tell anyone anything, but all the unspoken beats just feel like plot holes.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
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And law enforcement refuses to investigate it.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
Verb
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If Duggan vetoes the ordinance, the council would have a week from the receipt of the veto to override it with a two-thirds majority vote — meaning at least six of the nine council members.—
Dana Afana,
Freep.com,
22 Oct. 2025
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Yet an administrator vetoes the plan, and the meeting’s start is uncaffeinated.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Birdville downs rival Richland Matthew Moore allowed 1 earned run while scattering 2 hits across 5 innings to lead North Richland Hills Birdville past North Richland Hills Richland 3-2 in a District 6-5A showdown on Tuesday night at Richland High School.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
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Greene downs it, throws the kid his jersey, smiles, and all is right with the world.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shoots down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoots%20down. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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