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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Recent Examples of talking down
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
Worldfor never talking down to me or being too afraid to address the hard things in life.
—Anna Earl, Parents, 11 Sep. 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
Okla Jones, Essence, 14 Dec. 2025
Never met someone successful ever talking down to someone online.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Worldfor never talking down to me or being too afraid to address the hard things in life.
—Anna Earl, Parents, 11 Sep. 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
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Rather than dismissing student activism as naïve or disruptive, civic leaders can engage these young Marylanders in real discussions about how government works and how citizens influence change.—
Karl W. Bickel,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Feb. 2026
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And more generally, Jim isn’t dismissing the presence of some bad loans within the private credit complex.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Feb. 2026
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That doesn’t mean minimizing the danger.—
Andy Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Sanchez started with a sheer white base for this extra-long manicure and finished it with a striking silver chrome tip, extended into a delicate line design running down each nail.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
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All of the snow over the past week, which helped struggling ski resorts around Lake Tahoe increase their totals, will slowly melt in late spring and summer, running down rivers, with some being captured in reservoirs.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Our light is now diminishing from a vibrant flame to only a flicker of light, and the world is watching our demise.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2026
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Read the story » More Top Stories David Remnick speaks with Conan O’Brien about prepping for the Oscars, the diminishing relevance of late-night TV, and the loss of his close friends Rob and Michele Reiner.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Not playing down the stretch was a function of stiffness.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
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Instead of taking a low profile and playing down any claims to Taiwan’s independent status like his more cautious DPP predecessor Tsai Ying-wen, Lai has lurched toward formal independence with a succession of speeches making the case for Taiwanese nationhood.—
Lyle Goldstein,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Instead of writing off the cost of certain assets over several years, businesses can generally deduct the full cost upfront, within limits.—
Forbes Money Team,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Also since the press conference, some doctors have begun writing off-label prescriptions for autistic children, against the advice of medical groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Talking down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/talking%20down. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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