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belittle

[ bih-lit-l ]
/ bɪˈlɪt l /
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See synonyms for: belittle / belittled / belittles / belittling on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), be·lit·tled, be·lit·tling.
to regard or portray as less impressive or important than appearances indicate; depreciate; disparage.
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Origin of belittle

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85; be- + little

OTHER WORDS FROM belittle

be·lit·tle·ment, nounbe·lit·tler, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use belittle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for belittle

belittle
/ (bɪˈlɪtəl) /

verb (tr)
to consider or speak of (something) as less valuable or important than it really is; disparage
to cause to make small; dwarf

Derived forms of belittle

belittlement, nounbelittler, nounbelittlingly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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