: an act or instance of putting down
especially
: a humiliating remark
put down; putting down; puts down
1
: to bring to an end : stop
put down a riot
2
3
: to make ineffective : check
put down the gossip
4
: to do away with (an injured, sick, or aged animal) : destroy
5
a
: to put in writing
b
: to enter in a list
6
a
: to place in a category
I put him down as a hypochondriac—
O. S. J. Gogarty
O. S. J. Gogarty
b
: attribute
put it down to inexperience
7
: to pack or preserve for future use
8
: consume
putting down helping after helping—Carson McCullers
Carson McCullersSynonyms
Examples of put-down in a Sentence
Verb
he has the annoying habit of putting down others under the guise of offering constructive criticism
we had the whole agreement put down on paper
Recent Examples on the WebArmond White, National Review, 17 Nov. 2023
Jo, who also briefly worked with the same team, confirmed that the general atmosphere was one of put-downs and bullying.
—Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 7 Nov. 2023
The lyrics are crafted with precision, and each bar has the potential to caption Instagram posts from selfies to put-downs.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 28 Sep. 2023
That may be the most common put-down of the White House dreamers who are languishing in the pre-primary polls.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 11 Sep. 2023
But on Tuesday, the professor intercepted his student’s request and ran it back for a put-down.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2023
In a group chat, a toxic friend may make fun of a mutual acquaintance and egg on others to join in with the put-downs.
—Women's Health, 10 May 2023
Such offers of advice, however, no matter how well-meaning (in other words, focused on connection), are often heard as criticism—and therefore as put-downs.
—Deborah Tannen, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2016
As Little Red helps herself to a trove of sugary treats, skips across the stage with her basket of baked goods, and tangles with a flamboyantly sinister Wolf (Creel), Geraghty delivers deadpan witticisms, eye-rolling put-downs, and arch comebacks.
—Christopher Wallenberg, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Mar. 2023
Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
But the 35-year-old put down roots in Maryland, and the family decided he will be buried in the United States.
—Lea Skene, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024
Home buyers put down deposits and took out mortgages to buy the properties.
—Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 22 Mar. 2024
Dana Taylor: In 2013, SCOTUS put down part of the Voting Rights Act saying the legal protections against discrimination were no longer necessary.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
The bitcoin price has surged 350% since crashing to a recent low of $15,000 per bitcoin in the aftermath of the FTX crypto exchange collapse, a bounce back that's been put down to a growing Wall Street game-changer.
—Billy Bambrough, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Seventeen dogs were put down for behavioral reasons in 2023, slightly higher than any of the last three years but much lower than in the five years before that, according to figures kept by the shelter.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 28 Mar. 2024
Investors, too, from Vista Equity Partners to Pimco to Jim Breyer, have put down roots.
—Michal Lev-Ram, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
As Russia’s war in Ukraine enters its third year, a growing number of Russian families are putting down roots around Latin America, according to previously unreported residency visa approval data from five countries and interviews with a dozen exiles and experts.
—Lucinda Elliott and Miguel Lo Bianco, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2024
Noun
The Smiths were never embraced by American tastemakers (reviewers resorted to snide put-downs), so the band developed a silent-majority coterie — a Make Music Great Again following.
—Armond White, National Review, 17 Nov. 2023
Jo, who also briefly worked with the same team, confirmed that the general atmosphere was one of put-downs and bullying.
—Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 7 Nov. 2023
The lyrics are crafted with precision, and each bar has the potential to caption Instagram posts from selfies to put-downs.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 28 Sep. 2023
That may be the most common put-down of the White House dreamers who are languishing in the pre-primary polls.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 11 Sep. 2023
But on Tuesday, the professor intercepted his student’s request and ran it back for a put-down.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2023
In a group chat, a toxic friend may make fun of a mutual acquaintance and egg on others to join in with the put-downs.
—Women's Health, 10 May 2023
Such offers of advice, however, no matter how well-meaning (in other words, focused on connection), are often heard as criticism—and therefore as put-downs.
—Deborah Tannen, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2016
As Little Red helps herself to a trove of sugary treats, skips across the stage with her basket of baked goods, and tangles with a flamboyantly sinister Wolf (Creel), Geraghty delivers deadpan witticisms, eye-rolling put-downs, and arch comebacks.
—Christopher Wallenberg, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Mar. 2023
Verb
Another third put down at least 50%, with a mortgage on the rest.
—Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
But the 35-year-old put down roots in Maryland, and the family decided he will be buried in the United States.
—Lea Skene, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024
Home buyers put down deposits and took out mortgages to buy the properties.
—Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 22 Mar. 2024
Dana Taylor: In 2013, SCOTUS put down part of the Voting Rights Act saying the legal protections against discrimination were no longer necessary.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
The bitcoin price has surged 350% since crashing to a recent low of $15,000 per bitcoin in the aftermath of the FTX crypto exchange collapse, a bounce back that's been put down to a growing Wall Street game-changer.
—Billy Bambrough, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Seventeen dogs were put down for behavioral reasons in 2023, slightly higher than any of the last three years but much lower than in the five years before that, according to figures kept by the shelter.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 28 Mar. 2024
Investors, too, from Vista Equity Partners to Pimco to Jim Breyer, have put down roots.
—Michal Lev-Ram, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
As Russia’s war in Ukraine enters its third year, a growing number of Russian families are putting down roots around Latin America, according to previously unreported residency visa approval data from five countries and interviews with a dozen exiles and experts.
—Lucinda Elliott and Miguel Lo Bianco, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'put-down.' 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 put-down
Cite this Entry
“Put-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put-down. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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