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talk down
verb
talked down; talking down; talks down
: to speak in a condescending or oversimplified fashion
: to disparage or belittle by talking
Synonyms
Examples of talk down in a Sentence
a company that prefers to talk up its own products rather than talk down those of its competitors
Recent Examples on the Web
The two countries eventually signed a trade deal that was meant to lead to more trade talks down the line.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024
Does your party have a disdain problem in talking down to working class voters in particular?
—CBS News, 3 Nov. 2024
Gargoyles Few cartoons are as recognized for their mature storytelling as Gargoyles, a prime example of not talking down to a young audience.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2024
Misfits is a great example of a show for a teenage audience that respects its demographic rather than talking down to them.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1642, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Dictionary Entries Near talk down
Cite this Entry
“Talk down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/talk%20down. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
talk down
verb
: to speak in an overly simple manner as if to a person who does not know much
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