English Explanatory Dictionary

belittle

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To knowingly say that (someone or something) is smaller or less important than it actually is, especially as a way of showing contempt or deprecation.
  2. To make small.

Pronunciation

/bɪˈlɪt.əl/ en-us-belittle.ogg en-au-belittle.ogg

Word forms

belittle belittles belittling belittled

Etymology

From be- + little. Coined by Thomas Jefferson in 1782.

Synonyms

understate make light of denigrate degrade deprecate disparage downplay play down trivialize bagatellize abase banalize belittle cut down de-emphasize derogate dispraise lilliputianize make little of make nothing of minimize set at nought superficialize underestimate underplay vilipend besmall smallify abate bring down embase cut decrease decrement diminish foreshorten lessen lower mince reduce shrink

Antonyms

big up exaggerate cut it fat hyperbolize overcharge overdo overemphasize overstate play up stretch three-sheet

Derived words

belittled belittlement belittler belittling unbelittled
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