written off

verb

past participle of write off
1
as in dismissed
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 reduced
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 written off Andrew Shue, Melrose Place Andrew Shue’s Billy Campbell got written off Melrose Place in 1998, early in the show’s final season, and the actor barely looked back. — Jp Mangalindan, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Aug. 2026 On the mound, his 288 victories were written off by some Hall voters (though not this one) because his career spanned 26 seasons. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026 Dozens of sunken skiffs and speedboats, long written off by their owners, sat dry on the sand. — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 The train is, of course, a classic example of the perennial perils of sunk costs; abandoning the line seems absurd (even to us) given how much money would be written off. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 And the larger entertainment industry is taking note of the uptick in audience interest in unscripted, giving more weight to slates that were previously written off. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 Not long ago, the announcement would have been written off as yet another blockchain trial balloon. — Nina Bambysheva, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 She was written off when her character died from a brain tumor in season 9. — Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 Miñoso’s character, firefighter Joe Cruz, will likewise be written off in Season 15. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for written off
  1. dismissed
  2. reduced
  3. run down
  4. written down
  5. played down
  6. sunk
  7. talked down
Verb
  • Challenges to Essayli’s position were brought in several criminal cases, with defense lawyers arguing that charges filed under his watch are invalid and should be dismissed.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • One of them, dismissed Sooners quarterback Chris Robison, was the MVP of the 2019 Conference USA championship, Kiffin’s second league title in three seasons.
    — Matt Baker, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissed
Verb
  • Brent crude oil prices paused in early trading on Tuesday after gaining in the previous session following a drone attack on an oil pipeline pumping station in Russia that reduced flows from Kazakhstan.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Promise a rebate to every taxpayer when the size and cost of government is reduced.
    — Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • Photos of Bellin's injuries taken after the incident showed Bellin with blood running down her face and left arm and hand.
    — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Bright flames shot out of an overhead compartment as flight attendants ran down the smoky aisle with fire extinguishers.
    — Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of run down
Verb
  • When processes aren’t written down, new hires take longer to get up to speed, and mistakes are more likely.
    — Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Capricorn December 22 – January 19 A bigger plan becomes more realistic when the next step is written down.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of written down
Verb
  • With the Kroenke deal, the Angels will plug into a much larger sports and media ecosystem that should benefit the team that has always played down the road in Orange County in the shadow of the region’s beloved Los Angeles Dodgers franchise.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
  • But Blanche played down concerns that the erosion of judicial trust could impede his efforts to advance his agenda.
    — Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of played down
Verb
  • Victoria's Secret – The women's apparel retailer sunk more than 18% after the company slightly missed estimates on revenue in its second quarter results.
    — Darla Mercado, CFP®,Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • If anything happens to sideline Ohtani the hitter, the Dodgers are sunk, period.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of sunk
Verb
  • Oversimplifying things, on the other hand, would leave hardcore fans feeling as if they were being talked down to.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • There is a sense that it is patronised and talked down to a lot of the time.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of talked down

Browse Nearby Words

written down
written off
written up
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Cite this Entry

“Written off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/written%20off. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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