belittle

verb
UK: /bɪˈlɪtl/
US: /bɪˈlɪtl/
  1. To make someone or something seem small or unimportant.

    1. Don't belittle my efforts, I tried my best. [ ] [ ]
    2. He tends to belittle her achievements, which is quite discouraging for her. [ ] [ ]
  2. To represent or speak of as diminutive or unimportant; depreciate; disparage.

    1. She would belittle everything he did to make him feel bad. [ ] [ ]
    2. The manager belittled the importance of safety regulations, leading to accidents. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

disparage denigrate minimize undervalue depreciate diminish downplay discount deflate derogate trivialize pooh-pooh scorn slight underestimate mock discredit impugn reject rebuff snub understate abase debase degrade demote humiliate reduce attenuate curtail retard abbreviate summarize epitomize abstract digest compress capsulize syncopate constrict narrow confine abridge contract lessen weaken erode wear away shrivel wither dwarf stunt retract flatten condense abate shrink de-escalate drop descend fall plunge lower step down decrease dive nudge tap hint cite allude refer mention imply indicate point out make reference to insinuate hint at suggest remind elucidate annotate expound demonstrate specify exemplify illustrate spell out flesh out explicate delineate depict unfold describe detail analyze clarify exaggerate falsify misrepresent overestimate magnify overplay misstate misquote misreport fabricate distort pervert deceive manipulate con defraud dupe hoodwink bamboozle snow beguile swindle stymie fool circumvent mislead deafen befuddle uglify disfigure soil tarnish corrupt violate blemish taint mar ruin damage defile pollute despoil waste render warp perplex confuse muddy blur vex irritate provoke chafe nettle worry harass pester hound goad beleaguer annoy torment plague tantalise fret disappoint discourage exasperate rile hackle rankle gall rub up the wrong way nag frazzle aggravate infuriate arouse incite spur fire excite peeve needle badger inflame worsen intensify heighten sharpen exacerbate kindle foment stimulate touch off fan augment increase accelerate encourage promote strengthen raise stir up add insult to injury rehearse enumerate name instance quote reiterate recap rehash parrot recite relate repeat resound echo iterate trot out go over work over recount relay recapitulate stipulate report list reproduce reenact replay restage remake retell interpret translate rephrase paraphrase express simplify define encapsulate portray unsay disclaim withdraw recant renege revoke take back back down eat crow leave in the lurch disavow deny abjure rescind nullify offset counteract compromise overrule override quash recall reverse countermand negate obliterate abrogate supersede void invalidate annul repeal cancel strike blot out de-emphasize gloss over play down soft-pedal brush aside belittle soft-soap whitewash vindicate exculpate exonerate absolve acquit clear justify defend uphold support sustain authenticate verify validate confirm ratify attest certify substantiate prove corroborate warrant sanction undermine defame malign asperse vilify slander libel traduce smear calumniate slur scathe pillory condemn censure reprimand chastise rebuke berate reproach excoriate castigate lambaste admonish chide upbraid bawl out dress down tick off tell off take to task give a piece of one's mind give someone a roasting come down on skin alive roast scold impoverish bereft fleeced penurious destitute indigent skint penniless poor bankrupt insolvent overdrawn short deprived scant deficient wanting without bereaved barren impoverished effete exhausted wasted seedy bleak bare raw sterile inadequate scanty sparse limited restricted exiguous meager paltry stingy miserly parsimonious frugal spare austere basic simple natural unaffected plain homely unpretentious modest humble demure repressed abject lowly mean base ignoble sordid shameful depraved degenerate vile wretched pitiful pathetic contemptible despicable abhorrent odious revolting disgusting repugnant loathsome nauseating sickening offensive outrageous heinous atrocious egregious flagrant ghastly horrendous abominable vicious brutal savage inhuman merciless ruthless cruel callous heartless soulless evil malevolent baleful sinister diabolical fiendish infernal hellish execrable mean-spirited cheap shabby skanky rickety shoddy tacky tatty threadbare dowdy unkempt unseemly scruffy grimy smutty lousy grotty yucky gross repulsive detestable awful horrible terrible frightful dreadful dire grim severe stern harsh stark dreary dismal somber mournful forlorn desolate dejected depressed miserable unhappy sorrowful woeful heartbroken crestfallen downcast melancholy pensive lugubrious dolorous plaintive querulous peevish petulant irascible choleric bilious irritable fractious testy touchy cranky cantankerous crotchety churlish surly gruff brusque taciturn reticent reserved aloof distant remote stilted stuffy formal ceremonious pompous pretentious ostentatious grandiose bombastic fustian turgid inflated magniloquent rhetorical oratorical declamatory prolix verbose garrulous loquacious voluble effusive sentimental maudlin saccharine treacly sappy silly foolish asinine ludicrous preposterous absurd grotesque bizarre eccentric peculiar strange odd weird queer kooky wacky nutty balmy crazy daft dotty loony mad insane deranged demented maniacal psychotic neurotic hysterical delirious frenetic frantic raging furious livid wrathful indignant resentful aggrieved wronged irritated annoyed exasperated vexed fretful edgy uptight stressed anxious apprehensive fearful timid shy bashful coy diffident unassertive meek submissive servile obsequious sycophantic fawning ingratiating unctuous fulsome oily smarmy obnoxious hateful objectionable unpleasant disagreeable unsavory unpalatable distasteful nasty foul rotten putrid fetid rank rancid musty moldy wormy tainted contaminated adulterated bastardized perverted twisted deviant dissolute licentious lascivious lecherous lewd salacious obscene vulgar bawdy ribald coarse crude raunchy earthy animal bestial brutish feral wild uncivilized barbarous uncouth boorish loutish uncivil discourteous impolite ill-mannered insolent impertinent cheeky saucy pert fresh uppish conceited arrogant haughty affected showy gaudy crass inelegant awkward ungainly clumsy maladroit gauche ill-suited unbecoming inappropriate unfortunate bungling ham-fisted inept unskilled untalented incompetent inefficient feeble weak fragile frail delicate tender infirm decrepit ramshackle dilapidated shaky unsound flimsy tenuous trifling trivial insignificant inconsequential minor secondary peripheral inessential extraneous superfluous redundant unnecessary gratuitous pointless futile vain fruitless abortive stillborn impotent frigid unresponsive apathy indifference unconcerned impassive cold detached unfeeling unsympathetic malicious wicked

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "belittle" in English means: To make someone or something seem small or unimportant., To represent or speak of as diminutive or unimportant; depreciate; disparage..

The phonetic transcription of "belittle" is /bɪˈlɪtl/ in British English and /bɪˈlɪtl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "belittle": disparage, denigrate, minimize, undervalue, depreciate, diminish, downplay, discount, deflate, derogate, trivialize, pooh-pooh, scorn, slight, underestimate, mock, discredit, impugn, reject, rebuff, snub, understate, abase, debase, degrade, demote, humiliate, reduce, attenuate, curtail, retard, abbreviate, summarize, epitomize, abstract, digest, compress, capsulize, syncopate, constrict, narrow, confine, abridge, contract, lessen, weaken, erode, wear away, shrivel, wither, dwarf, stunt, retract, flatten, condense, abate, shrink, de-escalate, drop, descend, fall, plunge, lower, step down, decrease, dive, nudge, tap, hint, cite, allude, refer, mention, imply, indicate, point out, make reference to, insinuate, hint at, suggest, remind, elucidate, annotate, expound, demonstrate, specify, exemplify, illustrate, spell out, flesh out, explicate, delineate, depict, unfold, describe, detail, analyze, clarify, exaggerate, falsify, misrepresent, overestimate, magnify, overplay, misstate, misquote, misreport, fabricate, distort, pervert, deceive, manipulate, con, defraud, dupe, hoodwink, bamboozle, snow, beguile, swindle, stymie, fool, circumvent, mislead, deafen, befuddle, uglify, disfigure, soil, tarnish, corrupt, violate, blemish, taint, mar, ruin, damage, defile, pollute, despoil, waste, render, warp, perplex, confuse, muddy, blur, vex, irritate, provoke, chafe, nettle, worry, harass, pester, hound, goad, beleaguer, annoy, torment, plague, tantalise, fret, disappoint, discourage, exasperate, rile, hackle, rankle, gall, rub up the wrong way, nag, frazzle, aggravate, infuriate, arouse, incite, spur, fire, excite, peeve, needle, badger, inflame, worsen, intensify, heighten, sharpen, exacerbate, kindle, foment, stimulate, touch off, fan, augment, increase, accelerate, encourage, promote, strengthen, raise, stir up, add insult to injury, rehearse, enumerate, name, instance, quote, reiterate, recap, rehash, parrot, recite, relate, repeat, resound, echo, iterate, trot out, go over, work over, recount, relay, recapitulate, stipulate, report, list, reproduce, reenact, replay, restage, remake, retell, interpret, translate, rephrase, paraphrase, express, simplify, define, encapsulate, portray, unsay, disclaim, withdraw, recant, renege, revoke, take back, back down, eat crow, leave in the lurch, disavow, deny, abjure, rescind, nullify, offset, counteract, compromise, overrule, override, quash, recall, reverse, countermand, negate, obliterate, abrogate, supersede, void, invalidate, annul, repeal, cancel, strike, blot out, de-emphasize, gloss over, play down, soft-pedal, brush aside, belittle, soft-soap, whitewash, vindicate, exculpate, exonerate, absolve, acquit, clear, justify, defend, uphold, support, sustain, authenticate, verify, validate, confirm, ratify, attest, certify, substantiate, prove, corroborate, warrant, sanction, undermine, defame, malign, asperse, vilify, slander, libel, traduce, smear, calumniate, slur, scathe, pillory, condemn, censure, reprimand, chastise, rebuke, berate, reproach, excoriate, castigate, lambaste, admonish, chide, upbraid, bawl out, dress down, tick off, tell off, take to task, give a piece of one's mind, give someone a roasting, come down on, skin alive, roast, scold, impoverish, bereft, fleeced, penurious, destitute, indigent, skint, penniless, poor, bankrupt, insolvent, overdrawn, short, deprived, scant, deficient, wanting, without, bereaved, barren, impoverished, effete, exhausted, wasted, seedy, bleak, bare, raw, sterile, inadequate, scanty, sparse, limited, restricted, exiguous, meager, paltry, stingy, miserly, parsimonious, frugal, spare, austere, basic, simple, natural, unaffected, plain, homely, unpretentious, modest, humble, demure, repressed, abject, lowly, mean, base, ignoble, sordid, shameful, depraved, degenerate, vile, wretched, pitiful, pathetic, contemptible, despicable, abhorrent, odious, revolting, disgusting, repugnant, loathsome, nauseating, sickening, offensive, outrageous, heinous, atrocious, egregious, flagrant, ghastly, horrendous, abominable, vicious, brutal, savage, inhuman, merciless, ruthless, cruel, callous, heartless, soulless, evil, malevolent, baleful, sinister, diabolical, fiendish, infernal, hellish, execrable, mean-spirited, cheap, shabby, skanky, rickety, shoddy, tacky, tatty, threadbare, dowdy, unkempt, unseemly, scruffy, grimy, smutty, lousy, grotty, yucky, gross, repulsive, detestable, awful, horrible, terrible, frightful, dreadful, dire, grim, severe, stern, harsh, stark, dreary, dismal, somber, mournful, forlorn, desolate, dejected, depressed, miserable, unhappy, sorrowful, woeful, heartbroken, crestfallen, downcast, melancholy, pensive, lugubrious, dolorous, plaintive, querulous, peevish, petulant, irascible, choleric, bilious, irritable, fractious, testy, touchy, cranky, cantankerous, crotchety, churlish, surly, gruff, brusque, taciturn, reticent, reserved, aloof, distant, remote, stilted, stuffy, formal, ceremonious, pompous, pretentious, ostentatious, grandiose, bombastic, fustian, turgid, inflated, magniloquent, rhetorical, oratorical, declamatory, prolix, verbose, garrulous, loquacious, voluble, effusive, sentimental, maudlin, saccharine, treacly, sappy, silly, foolish, asinine, ludicrous, preposterous, absurd, grotesque, bizarre, eccentric, peculiar, strange, odd, weird, queer, kooky, wacky, nutty, balmy, crazy, daft, dotty, loony, mad, insane, deranged, demented, maniacal, psychotic, neurotic, hysterical, delirious, frenetic, frantic, raging, furious, livid, wrathful, indignant, resentful, aggrieved, wronged, irritated, annoyed, exasperated, vexed, fretful, edgy, uptight, stressed, anxious, apprehensive, fearful, timid, shy, bashful, coy, diffident, unassertive, meek, submissive, servile, obsequious, sycophantic, fawning, ingratiating, unctuous, fulsome, oily, smarmy, obnoxious, hateful, objectionable, unpleasant, disagreeable, unsavory, unpalatable, distasteful, nasty, foul, rotten, putrid, fetid, rank, rancid, musty, moldy, wormy, tainted, contaminated, adulterated, bastardized, perverted, twisted, deviant, dissolute, licentious, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, salacious, obscene, vulgar, bawdy, ribald, coarse, crude, raunchy, earthy, animal, bestial, brutish, feral, wild, uncivilized, barbarous, uncouth, boorish, loutish, uncivil, discourteous, impolite, ill-mannered, insolent, impertinent, cheeky, saucy, pert, fresh, uppish, conceited, arrogant, haughty, affected, showy, gaudy, crass, inelegant, awkward, ungainly, clumsy, maladroit, gauche, ill-suited, unbecoming, inappropriate, unfortunate, bungling, ham-fisted, inept, unskilled, untalented, incompetent, inefficient, feeble, weak, fragile, frail, delicate, tender, infirm, decrepit, ramshackle, dilapidated, shaky, unsound, flimsy, tenuous, trifling, trivial, insignificant, inconsequential, minor, secondary, peripheral, inessential, extraneous, superfluous, redundant, unnecessary, gratuitous, pointless, futile, vain, fruitless, abortive, stillborn, impotent, frigid, unresponsive, apathy, indifference, unconcerned, impassive, cold, detached, unfeeling, unsympathetic, malicious, wicked.

Example usage of "belittle": "Don't belittle my efforts, I tried my best.". More examples on the page.