belittle Hear it!

belittle Definition

☆ be·lit·tle (bē lit′'l, bi-)

transitive verb -·tled, -·tling

to make seem little, less important, etc.; speak slightingly of; depreciate

Etymology: coined (c. 1780) by Thomas Jefferson

belittle Related Forms
be·lit′·tle·ment noun be·lit′·tler noun
belittle Synonyms

belittle

v.

lower, disparage, decry, deprecate, depreciate; see also depreciate 2. See syn. study at depreciate.

belittle Usage Examples

Object

  • achievement: That is not, however, to belittle actual achievements.
  • importance: I agree with you, Jo, that name changing could be seen to belittle the importance of continuation of identity.
  • effort: There are those who would now try and rewrite the history of new towns and belittle the efforts of the great social reformers.
  • fact: However, not wishing to belittle the fact that a child had been bitten, the defense accepted that there was an injury.
  • role: It would be an error to belittle the role and importance of planning.
  • people: Maybe people would not be as hasty to belittle disabled people if they mixed more with them.

Used with why or when

  • what: This is not to belittle what did happen in Seattle.

Modifying Another Word

  • never: The name of one of those boys was Billy Graham ⦠Never belittle the apparently little you feel you can do!
  • not: We do not belittle or mock the campaigning of any group.
  • n't: The Ben is a magnificent hill - do n't belittle it.
  • also: Air force censors not only hide the facts but also belittle those who publicly report UFO sightings.
  • even: The curse of folk music has left scars on whole towns that belittle even the ravages of war.
  • often: In fact, practitioners of Karate-Do are now often belittled as deluded individuals practicing an ineffective children's art.