as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
a company that prefers to talk up its own products rather than talk down those of its competitors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 talk down
Misfits is a great example of a show for a teenage audience that respects its demographic rather than talking down to them.
—
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Mar. 2026
After Jacksonville, after years of fans feeling talked down to and reporters feeling undermined, this silly little event served a purpose for a change.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Heckerling and the incredible cast never talk down to the audience, creating main characters that viewers root for, despite the obvious digs at the ultra-rich.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
In these settings, the men tend to talk down to me or dismiss my expertise.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for talk down
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Mar. 2026
After Jacksonville, after years of fans feeling talked down to and reporters feeling undermined, this silly little event served a purpose for a change.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Heckerling and the incredible cast never talk down to the audience, creating main characters that viewers root for, despite the obvious digs at the ultra-rich.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
In these settings, the men tend to talk down to me or dismiss my expertise.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for talk down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for talk down
Verb
-
Johnson dismissed the criticism.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Red flags worth walking away from include dismissing symptoms without investigation, attributing everything to stress or anxiety, discouraging second opinions and making patients feel rushed.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There is a commitment to that philosophy, even as there is a determination to minimize bad outcomes as much as is humanly possible.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
By generating electricity from fuel during flight and switching to a quieter electric mode when required, the system allows smaller drones to extend their operational range while minimizing noise and thermal signatures.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
How diminished will their opportunities for success be in the real world?—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Lightning is diminishing over shipping lanes as a result of the use of cleaner fuel.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the process, water would run down through some other plants on Barnhorst’s property.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The verbal altercation continued as both players ran down the court following the free throw.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But Smith is the type of player that always seems to execute when the pressure mounts, and his clutch play down the stretch could be the difference in the Sweet 16.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Valanciunas is slow-footed and plays down the floor in pick-and-roll coverage, leaving the Nuggets more vulnerable to pick-and-pop bigs and other ripple effects of their help rotations around the floor.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Talk down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/talk%20down. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
