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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
There is no end of put-downs that attach to the job of vice president, a position that’s widely treated as irrelevant when its occupant is not ignored altogether.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024
Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2025
Allowing Alexander-Arnold, a player in his prime at 26 years old, to enter the final months of his contract can only be put down to mismanagement.
—James Pearce, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Noun
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
There is no end of put-downs that attach to the job of vice president, a position that’s widely treated as irrelevant when its occupant is not ignored altogether.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024
Verb
The firm had already staked a claim in the Chicago-area grocery market, having put down $1.75 billion in Jewel-Osco parent Albertsons Companies Inc. in 2020.
—Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2025
Allowing Alexander-Arnold, a player in his prime at 26 years old, to enter the final months of his contract can only be put down to mismanagement.
—James Pearce, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for put-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for put-down
Noun
-
During a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Brazil in November 2023, Messi and Rodrygo exchanged insults.—
Felipe Cardenas,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
-
The jury found that on Aug. 19, after Stanford revoked her access, Mangi logged into the study database and replaced patient medical data with erroneous information and insults about her former supervisor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.—
Jason Green,
The Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Focus on professional factors rather than personal criticisms.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
-
Prominent pro-Israel voices, as well as critics of Israel, defended the movie — or at least called on their allies to tone down the criticism.—
Ben Sales,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Starmer also dismissed calls to cancel a royal invitation from King Charles to the U.S. President for a U.K. state visit, an offer presented by the British leader at the Oval Office Thursday.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Less than two weeks after the incident, though, all charges were dismissed.—
Ben Church,
CNN,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The 2019 second-round pick out of Ole Miss has recorded at least 900 receiving yards in each of his seasons with the Seahawks.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
The Athletic,
10 Mar. 2025
-
Audio captured by air traffic control recorded someone on the plane reporting before the crash that a door was open, and asking to land at the airport.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Videos from Wednesday evening showed police entering the building wearing helmets and carrying zip ties and later clearing and detaining protesters and others from the lawn outside the building.—
Philip Marcelo,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2025
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Beacon Health, the Office of Dispute Resolution, the Northland Coalition, and Clay County Public Health are expected to enter service agreements sometime this month.—
Alecia Taylor,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Hearing that others experienced the same symptom for a period helped quell her frenzy.—
Erin Jensen,
USA TODAY,
6 Mar. 2025
-
To further soothe and calm the eye area, ginger and Centella Asiatica (known as cica) help quell inflammation.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The contributing factors in Arakawa’s death were attributed to rodents.—
Nathan Solis,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2025
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This muted reaction can be partly attributed to broader market conditions.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
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 13 Mar. 2025.
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