Synonyms for belittle
bɪˈlɪt lbe·lit·tle

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:1.7 / 3 votes

1. belittle

   To decry is to cry down, in some noisy, public, or conspicuous manner. A witness or a statement is discredited; the currency is depreciated; a good name is dishonored by unworthy conduct; we underestimate in our own minds; we may underrate or undervalue in statement to others. These words are used, with few exceptions, of things such as qualities, merits, attainments, etc. To disparage is to belittle by damaging comparison or suggestion; it is used only of things. A man's achievements are disparaged, his motives depreciated, his professions discredited; he himself is calumniated, slandered, etc. Compare SLANDER.

   See synonyms for PRAISE.

   Synonyms:
   carp at, decry, depreciate, derogate from, detract from, discredit, dishonor, disparage, lower, underestimate, underrate, undervalue

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:2.0 / 1 vote

1. minimize, belittle, denigrate, derogateverb

   cause to seem less serious; play down

   "Don't belittle his influence"

   Synonyms:
   calumniate, smear, asperse, diminish, denigrate, minimize, besmirch, disparage, slander, pick at, sully, minimise, downplay, smirch, defame, understate, derogate

2. disparage, belittle, pick atverb

   express a negative opinion of

   "She disparaged her student's efforts"

   Synonyms:
   pluck at, denigrate, disparage, diminish, pick at, peck at, pull at, minimize, derogate, peck

3. diminish, belittleverb

   lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of

   "don't belittle your colleagues"

   Synonyms:
   pick at, fall, denigrate, disparage, diminish, lessen, decrease, minimize, derogate

Matched Categories

1. • Criticize
   • Disparage
   • Lessen

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:3.0 / 1 vote

1. belittleverb

   Synonyms:
   decry, disparage, underrate, depreciate

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "belittle":

   denigrate, underestimate, disparage

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How to use belittle in a sentence?

1. Bryan Cranston:

   It is a privileged viewpoint to be able to look at the Ku Klux Klan and laugh at them and belittle them for their broken and hateful ideology, but the Ku Klux Klan and Charlottesville and white supremacists — that’s still happening and it’s not funny. It’s not funny to any group that is marginalized by these groups’ hatred, and it really taught me something.

2. Michel de Montaigne:

   Don't discuss yourself, for you are bound to lose if you belittle yourself, you are believed if you praise yourself, you are disbelieved.

3. Iris Erlingsdottir:

   Don't belittle yourself or be ashamed of you who you are. That's your husband's job, and he does it so well.

4. Douglas Feith:

   The Obama administration has tended to downplay, to belittle, the ideological importance of the problem, you can't explain away the terrorism problem as a matter of economic and political frustration.

5. Vadym Skibitsky:

   Everything related to any success on the Donetsk and Luhansk axis is going to be attributed to the armed forces of the Russian Federation and Gerasimov, the leadership of the Russian armed forces are going to try to belittle Prigozhin’s role and place however they can, so he cannot strengthen his position in the Kremlin hierarchy.