1
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
new hires always have to deal with put-downs and practical jokes from the older employees
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in criticism
the act of making a person or a thing seem little or unimportant
your never-ending put-down of my musical talents is really starting to annoy me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
he has the annoying habit of putting down others under the guise of offering constructive criticism
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to record
to make a written note of
we had the whole agreement put down on paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to enter
to put (someone or something) on a list
put her down as one of the chaperones for the field trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to quell
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
a tyrant who ruthlessly put down uprisings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to attribute
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
a fender bender that probably can be put down to the young driver's inexperience
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6
as in to eat
to take in as food
the husky youngster seemed to put down her own weight in food at one sitting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of put-down
Armond White, National Review, 1 Jan. 2025
This sneering put-down is even more bizarre than the swipe at Carter’s phantom operatic output.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Andrew Keatts, Axios, 2 Apr. 2025
Beyond Waverly Place picks up more then a decade later, with Justin (Henrie) now raising a mortal family on Staten Island after putting down his wand for good.
—Andy Swift, TVLine, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Noun
Caustic put-downs of Milton Berle, Jim Henson, and Johnny Carson anticipate the partisan snark by which SNL would pillory Millennial conservatives as non-hip — the antiquated value that has bankrupt stand-up comedy today.
—Armond White, National Review, 1 Jan. 2025
This sneering put-down is even more bizarre than the swipe at Carter’s phantom operatic output.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
The typical San Diego homebuyer put down $61,000 14 years ago, compared to the $169,000 needed late last year.
—Andrew Keatts, Axios, 2 Apr. 2025
Beyond Waverly Place picks up more then a decade later, with Justin (Henrie) now raising a mortal family on Staten Island after putting down his wand for good.
—Andy Swift, TVLine, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put-down
Noun
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In a workplace that’s increasingly remote, fast-paced, independent and ever-changing, these aren’t insults.—
Nirit Cohen,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Recent White House comments and insults directed at NATO allies – as well as the military alliance itself – have raised alarm and confusion.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The emotional stories linked with characters portrayed as cold-blooded killers trained by terrorists have left the film amid wide criticism over its intentions.—
Sweta Kaushal,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Many of the artists now topping the charts have come under fierce criticism because their lyrics often paint cartel leaders as Robin Hood-esque figures.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In film school, games and anime aren’t celebrated, they’re dismissed.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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Griffin launched a legal challenge and on April 4, a three-judge panel of the North Carolina court of appeals ruled 2-1 that the state's elections board erred in dismissing Griffin's protests about invalid election ballots.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The administration expects the new rates to remain in place until the U.S. narrows a $1.2 trillion trade imbalance recorded last year.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Apr. 2025
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The Royals on Monday recorded 14 hits in their 11-1 blowout victory.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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With the arrival of Bizzarri and Maggio, the brand entered the American market, with a first U.S. boutique in the Bal Harbour Shops in Miami opening in December.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
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Miami entered Wednesday with a 5-9 record this season when all three players have been available since Wiggins was acquired from the Golden State Warriors in the Feb. 6 Jimmy Butler trade.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Killorn had quelled the Rangers momentum with a short-handed equalizer less than two minutes before New York reassumed control.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2025
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Here and there, far from Meemaw’s grave, a few small trees attempted, unsuccessfully, to quell the rage of a Texas sun.—
Robert Moor,
Outside Online,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Much of the drop is attributed to growing concerns that the electric vehicle maker's public image has become too closely tied to its CEO, Elon Musk.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
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Kennedy's murder has been attributed to a sole gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald.—
David Shepardson,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Miami was last in the NFL at 57 plays per game last season partly because the offense didn’t convert effectively on third downs, but also because the porous run defense allowed opponents to eat up the clock.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun-Sentinel.com,
19 July 2017
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The casual restaurant and bar also offers an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet at 8 a.m. Sundays.—
Vickie Snow Jurkowski,
Daily Southtown,
19 July 2017
Cite this Entry
“Put-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-down. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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