TALKING DOWN Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

talking down

verb

present participle of talk down

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

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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 In a daring high-wire act high above the East River, fearless NYPD cops spent nearly an hour on a span of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge talking down a woman desperately threatening to jump. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for talking down

Verb

The two commissioners selected by congressional Democrats, Chairman Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, each received an email dismissing them on July 9.

— Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 10 July 2026
England went into the Mexico match inspired by having so many factors against them and with a lot of people dismissing their chances of winning the tournament.

— Carl Anka, New York Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of dismissing

Verb

Autonomous ocean mining The Eureka Collection System is an autonomous underwater mining platform designed to selectively harvest polymetallic nodules from the deep ocean while minimizing environmental impact.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
Operating in a 24/7/365 retail environment meant that minimizing business disruption was critical.

— Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026

Definition of minimizing

Verb

Kaishu Sano stole a pass in the middle of the field and then did the rest, running down the middle of the pitch before burying a right-footed strike into the left side of the goal, his first score in international play.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
Have fun walking up and running down the dunes with your pup, but be mindful of the heat and elevation to avoid overdoing it.

— Rebecca R. Norris, USA Today, 29 June 2026

Definition of running down

Verb

Expensive eye creams have long been considered the gold standard for diminishing fine lines and wrinkles.

— Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026
Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.

— Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026

Definition of diminishing

Verb

The game was in the 112th minute when Alvarez scored, a testimony to Switzerland’s outstanding defense, playing down a man since the 72nd minute.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026
The host nation won comfortably despite playing down a man from the 64th minute on.

— Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of playing down

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