belittle

verb

be·​lit·​tle bi-ˈli-tᵊl How to pronounce belittle (audio)
bē-
belittled; belittling bi-ˈli-tᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce belittle (audio)
-ˈlit-liŋ,
bē-

transitive verb

1
: to speak slightingly of : disparage
belittles her efforts
2
: to cause (a person or thing) to seem little or less
a curiosity so vast that it almost belittled the main matterMark Twain
belittlement noun
belittler
bi-ˈli-tᵊl-ər How to pronounce belittle (audio)
-ˈlit-lər
bē-
noun
Choose the Right Synonym for belittle

decry, depreciate, disparage, belittle mean to express a low opinion of.

decry implies open condemnation with intent to discredit.

decried their defeatist attitude

depreciate implies a representing as being of less value than commonly believed.

critics depreciate his plays for being unabashedly sentimental

disparage implies depreciation by indirect means such as slighting or invidious comparison.

disparaged polo as a game for the rich

belittle usually suggests a contemptuous or envious attitude.

belittled the achievements of others

Examples of belittle in a Sentence

The critic belittled the author's work. Her detractors are in the habit of belittling her accomplishments.
Recent Examples on the Web That is done not to belittle their analysis to point out that such forecasts have unrealistic expectations that should not be used to guide one’s investments. Tom Aspray, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 Harris also tried to belittle Trump, which could be an attempt to chip away at his appeal among male voters. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024 According to Richard, Diddy belittled and harassed the female contestants during filming. Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2024 She was banned for life by NBC, belittled by late-night comedians, often in painfully misogynistic ways, and even threatened with violence by Frank Sinatra. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for belittle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'belittle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of belittle was in 1782

Dictionary Entries Near belittle

Cite this Entry

“Belittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belittle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

belittle

verb
be·​lit·​tle bi-ˈlit-ᵊl How to pronounce belittle (audio)
belittled; belittling -ˈlit-ᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce belittle (audio)
-ˈlit-liŋ
: to make (a person or a thing) seem little or unimportant
belittle the success of a rival
belittlement noun
belittler
-ˈlit-ᵊl-ər How to pronounce belittle (audio)
-ˈlit-lər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on belittle

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