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
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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
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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
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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
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4
as in to quell
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
a tyrant who ruthlessly put down uprisings
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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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of put-down
Amy Morin, Parents, 25 July 2024
Do not hurt anyone’s body (no hitting, pushing, or kicking).
Do not hurt anyone’s feelings (no yelling, put-downs, or name-calling).
—Amy Morin, Parents, 3 July 2024
Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 31 Dec. 2024
Every week, seemingly, the Huskers are putting down stronger roots in Kansas City.
—Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for put-down 
Noun
Verbal abuse Verbal put-downs from a coach—said in front of others or done privately—are a clear form of verbal abuse..
—Amy Morin, Parents, 25 July 2024
Do not hurt anyone’s body (no hitting, pushing, or kicking).
Do not hurt anyone’s feelings (no yelling, put-downs, or name-calling).
—Amy Morin, Parents, 3 July 2024
Verb
This mystery from the author of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle will be hard to put down.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 31 Dec. 2024
Every week, seemingly, the Huskers are putting down stronger roots in Kansas City.
—Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for put-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put-down
Noun
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This is a dangerous conflation and an insult to women who choose to cook.Mina Holland, Vogue, 11 Jan. 2025
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This can be through verbal insults, physical acts like slapping and spitting, or openly degrading someone by telling them to perform humiliating tasks (say, drinking a random glass of milk in front of your work colleagues).Fran Tirado, Them, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Comments Holker made to PEOPLE in a Jan. 7 interview triggered the wave of criticism.Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2025
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Meta is removing employee criticism over its hiring of UFC CEO Dana White from an internal company messaging system.Makena Kelly, WIRED, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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She was dismissed in June 2024 after a run of seven games without a win.Asif Burhan, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
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Both cases were dismissed following Trump's reelection in November due to a longstanding Justice Department policy prohibiting the prosecution of a sitting president.Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Top 10 Center Fielders In 2024, only eight pitchers recorded 30 saves — the fewest in a 162-game season since 1988.Newsweek, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
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Logistical issues like finding studio space delayed the first episode until Dec. 15, and so far, he’s recorded 10 episodes, with another 30 to go, according to the filing.John Annese, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Jayden Daniels enters the Lions’ den against a Detroit defense that played above its heads against the Vikings.Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 17 Jan. 2025
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Related Articles The school believes strongly that leveraging innovation in its educational model plays an important role in students developing skills before entering the evolving creative industries.Fairchild Studio, WWD, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Riley issued a public statement in an effort to quell swirling Butler trade rumors last month, insisting Miami would not move on from its best two-way player this year.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
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Recent fears about potential payroll disruptions due to budget delays were quelled by Robinson's assurance that a budget will be passed before the 15th, ensuring employees receive their paychecks.Eplunus Colvin, arkansasonline.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Israel attributes much of the destruction to Hamas, the militant group that launched the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and abducted 250.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
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And Robach attributes their desire to spend so much time together to the early stages of their friendship that turned romantic.Rachel McRady, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Eating it: Some folks spoon directly into their mouths.Ann Maloney, NOLA.com, 19 July 2017
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New this year to True Nature is a retreat for those with eating disorders and their family members.Plain Dealer guest writer, cleveland.com, 19 July 2017
Thesaurus Entries Near put-down
Cite this Entry
“Put-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/put-down. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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