write off

verb

Definition of write offnext
1
as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of most critics have already written off that director as a hack incapable of turning out anything but schlock

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to reduce
to diminish the price or value of that one blunder will write off to nothing all the goodwill we've been building up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 write off The president may be willing to write off Pope Leo XIV, who issued an influential encyclical in May warning that AI needed guardrails to protect our humanity. — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 25 July 2026 Wells' family fears his death will be written off as an accidental drowning, citing conflicting witness accounts and unusual cell phone activity. — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 25 July 2026 Traditional banks in sub-Saharan Africa running unsecured lending portfolios routinely write off 10% to 15% of their loans as bad debts. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 22 July 2026 Furthermore, Oscar nominees Ruth de Jong and Ellen Mirojnick exceed expectations with their production design and costume design, respectively, which some initially wrote off as too brutalist and minimal in the film’s previews. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for write off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for write off
  1. dismiss
  2. reduce
  3. minimize
  4. write down
  5. diminish
  6. dump on
  7. run down
  8. play down
Verb
  • China refused to participate in the arbitration and has not fully complied with the ruling, causing some commentators to dismiss the significance of the case.
    — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • Beth Arbuckle and Wells Fargo agreed to dismiss the December 2024 case filed in federal court for the Western District of North Carolina, according to a joint stipulation filed Friday.
    — Chase Jordan July 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • For example, shifting the Fed’s portfolio toward short-term Treasury bills and away from long-term bonds or mortgage-back securities could reduce market price distortion and limit the government’s role in allocating capital across sectors.
    — David Zhang, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • And China, with its massive oil inventory, has been drawing down its reserves and reduced its crude imports by more than 4 million barrels a day, according to JPMorgan.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • While retinol on its own can be irritating, especially on sensitive skin, applying it as a moisturizer can help minimize irritation and soothe the skin—a genius product, IMO.
    — Anna Traver, InStyle, 31 July 2026
  • The point is not to minimize every token, just as manufacturers do not minimize every raw material.
    — Dr. Suresh Rajappa, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of minimize
Verb
  • When nothing is written down, the first employee who arrives with a clear proposal is not asking permission.
    — Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Why not eat the good feta, get that deli sandwich, try that beef stew recipe your grandmother wrote down for you by hand?
    — Grace Reilly, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
Definition of write down
Verb
  • One thing that might be over — or at least greatly diminished — will be submissions for the supporting acting categories for limited series/movie next year if the academy makes this revision permanent.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Errors damaged trust and diminished influence whether or not the robot was expressive.
    — Yigit Topoglu, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • Lawson was found dead, dumped on the southbound Route 295 entrance ramp from the Westport neighborhood, in January 2022.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 11 June 2026
  • There people everywhere, emotional support dogs taking dumps on the floor, and everything.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2026
Definition of dump on
Verb
  • For four years now, Metro light rail trains have been running down the center of Crenshaw Boulevard, and for just as long, residents say a major promise has been broken.
    — Lauren Pozen, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Not Bone, But Nerve That something is the ulnar nerve, one of the three major nerves running down the arm.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of run down
Verb
  • The next, most important step for Carter is maintaining his explosive play down over down — first in training camp, then in practice and finally, once the season arrives.
    — Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • Wang plays down the potential for renegade robots to wreak havoc.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 July 2026
Definition of play down

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write-ins
write off
writer
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Cite this Entry

“Write off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/write%20off. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of write off for Spanish Speakers

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