as in dismissing
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 talking down
Politicos everywhere are talking down Johnson’s chances.
—
Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
During his remarks, Beshear accused Vance, whose memoir explores issues such as poverty and the lack of opportunity in Appalachia and the Rust Belt, of talking down to the people of Kentucky.
—Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026
Worldfor never talking down to me or being too afraid to address the hard things in life.
—Anna Earl, Parents, 12 Mar. 2026
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
Forever captures the rush and confusion of first love without talking down to its audience.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 14 Dec. 2025
Never met someone successful ever talking down to someone online.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Boys Go to Jupiter captures an adolescent malaise without talking down to its teens — there is no preaching about real jobs, responsibilities, or five-year plans.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
During his remarks, Beshear accused Vance, whose memoir explores issues such as poverty and the lack of opportunity in Appalachia and the Rust Belt, of talking down to the people of Kentucky.
—Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026
Worldfor never talking down to me or being too afraid to address the hard things in life.
—Anna Earl, Parents, 12 Mar. 2026
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
Forever captures the rush and confusion of first love without talking down to its audience.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 14 Dec. 2025
Never met someone successful ever talking down to someone online.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Boys Go to Jupiter captures an adolescent malaise without talking down to its teens — there is no preaching about real jobs, responsibilities, or five-year plans.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for talking down
Verb
-
Your method of dismissing your flippant remarks, then, is probably the next best option to silence.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
-
Kerry Washington completely dismissing Seth Meyers’s home life absolutely slays.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
The specialty sneakers are designed with a shock-absorbing sole to alleviate pressure and strain on your heels and joints by minimizing the impact of your steps.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
18 June 2026
-
Analytics engines generate insights closer to the data, minimizing redundant processing.—
Chhandomay Mandal,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
In addition to the colors, which will only be available on this series of Continentals, each car also features a Satin stripe running down the center of the vehicle and rides on a set of black 22-inch wheels with self-leveling badges.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
17 June 2026
-
In left field, Taylor kept the Reds from going ahead by running down a fly ball near the line and throwing out a baserunner at home plate.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Not even a hint of repercussions for diminishing the integrity of the event.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
-
The 23-page analysis also pointed to escalating public health and social services costs, declining investments in capital improvements and an outsized reliance on state and federal tax dollars as drivers of the county’s diminishing financial health.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
Their forward depth with (Nikolaj) Ehlers playing down the lineup has been a huge strength.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
But after his early doom-laden predictions, Altman may now be an outlier among industry leaders in playing down the impact on work.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
But as his brace against Uzbekistan showed, writing off Ronaldo remains a dangerous mistake.—
Clemente Lisi,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
-
So, before writing off a sluggish job candidate search as a market issue, take a hard look at the listing itself, from the title to the requirements, the compensation and the hiring process.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Talking down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/talking%20down. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
