belittle
verb
be·lit·tle
bi-ˈli-tᵊl 
bē-
belittled; belittling
bi-ˈli-tᵊl-iŋ
-ˈlit-liŋ,
bē-
1
: to speak slightingly of : disparage
belittles her efforts
2
: to cause (a person or thing) to seem little or less
a curiosity so vast that it almost belittled the main matter—
Mark Twain
Mark TwainSynonyms
Examples of belittle in a Sentence
The critic belittled the author's work.
Her detractors are in the habit of belittling her accomplishments.
Recent Examples on the Web
After all, few forms of ridicule are as belittling as being reduced to a body part, or being called out for your beauty choices, especially in the context of a public career.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 17 May 2024
The bosses screamed and belittled them and would bar them from going to the bathroom except during sanctioned breaks.
—Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, 3 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for belittle 
Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 17 May 2024
The bosses screamed and belittled them and would bar them from going to the bathroom except during sanctioned breaks.
—Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, 3 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for belittle
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'belittle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near belittle
Cite this Entry
“Belittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belittle. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
belittle
verb
be·lit·tle
bi-ˈlit-ᵊl
belittled; belittling
-ˈlit-ᵊl-iŋ
-ˈlit-liŋ
: to make (a person or a thing) seem little or unimportant
belittle the success of a rival
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