1
as in to ridicule
to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter
nowadays the aging activist is routinely shot down in most quarters of the media and dismissed as an irrelevant crank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dismiss
to reject by or as if by a vote
every one of my fund-raising ideas was shot down by the other club members
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to refute
to prove to be false
the results of several studies shoot down the hypothesis that coffee causes heart attacks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shoot down
That argument was shot down last year in a 7-2 decision written by Justice Clarence Thomas, who found that the bureau’s funding procedure was perfectly legal and constitutional.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025
In Pennsylvania, a drone reportedly followed the convoy before it was shot down by security agents using an electromagnetic weapon.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 10 Feb. 2025
As negotiations continue, the Mets reportedly had their latest bid of three years, $70 million shot down by Alonso and his agent, Scott Boras.
—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
The president has not expressed a willingness to reach a deal on immigration reform and Republican leaders shot down a bipartisan border security bill in Congress last year.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacramento Bee, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shoot down
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025
In Pennsylvania, a drone reportedly followed the convoy before it was shot down by security agents using an electromagnetic weapon.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 10 Feb. 2025
As negotiations continue, the Mets reportedly had their latest bid of three years, $70 million shot down by Alonso and his agent, Scott Boras.
—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
The president has not expressed a willingness to reach a deal on immigration reform and Republican leaders shot down a bipartisan border security bill in Congress last year.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacramento Bee, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shoot down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoot down
Verb
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While the former third baseman has strong support in his clubhouse, he’s been ridiculed by fans throughout his time with the Bombers despite taking the team to the playoffs in all but one season, 2023.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
14 Feb. 2025
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As a 15-year-old when the murders happened, she was ridiculed and bullied by her classmates at Charlotte High.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr.,
USA TODAY,
12 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In October, San Diego Superior Court Judge Aaron Katz dismissed the charge against Lor, ruling that the law requires the threat be specific toward the person allegedly threatened.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2025
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Last month, federal prosecutors in Texas dismissed charges against a doctor accused of unlawfully sharing health records from a children's hospital there.—
Carrie Johnson,
NPR,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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While Kansas public health officials called it the largest U.S. concentration of the disease since recording began in the 1950s, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has refuted this, citing two larger episodes in the past.—
Cory Franklin,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2025
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Nicole’s lawyer, Bruce Weil of law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, refutes that claim, saying that Dr. Wertheim never made such an offer.—
Kerry A. Dolan,
Forbes,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Most of your editorials, John Brummett, Rex Nelson, and John Deering, are blatant Trump haters, and their smug, condescending echo-chamber mindsets are constantly denigrating, mocking, and disrespecting at least 64 percent of your potential readers.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
15 Feb. 2025
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On a later episode of SNL, Madonna mocked O’Connor by ripping up a photo of then-tabloid fixture Joey Buttafuoco.—
Shannon Carlin,
TIME,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The dismissals come less than three weeks after a midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter killed 67 people and brought new scrutiny to air traffic controllers and their workloads.—
Joey Garrison,
USA TODAY,
18 Feb. 2025
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Train hoppers can and do get injured or even killed.—
Manuela López Restrepo,
NPR,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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DeSantis vetoed more than $500 million in local projects in 2023.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
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Trump, in his first term, vetoed the must-pass Defense bill that sets defense policy because of the commission.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Nevertheless, a select few, like then San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson who famously sported a thick black beard, refused to so much as meet with the Yankees because of the rule.—
Marc Edelman,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
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Frame refuses to bask in her exceptionalism, her almost miraculous escape.—
Audrey Wollen,
The New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Travelers also need to negative COVID-19 test within one day of flying to return to the United States.—
Dallas News,
Dallas News,
7 Feb. 2022
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Regardless, the outcome of this trial might not impact the ex-couple’s career prospects in all that negative a way, Engelmayer predicted.—
Victoria Bekiempis,
Vulture,
26 May 2022
Cite this Entry
“Shoot down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoot%20down. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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