belittle
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to consider or speak of (something) as less valuable or important than it really is; disparage
-
to cause to make small; dwarf
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
belittlesimple
-
belittlessimple
-
have belittledperfect
-
has belittledperfect
-
am belittlingprogressive
-
are belittlingprogressive
-
is belittlingprogressive
-
have been belittlingperfect progressive
-
has been belittlingperfect progressive
Past
-
belittledsimple
-
had belittledperfect
-
was belittlingprogressive
-
were belittlingprogressive
-
had been belittlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of belittle
Explanation
To belittle means to put down, or to make another person feel as though they aren't important. Saying mean things about another person literally makes them feel "little." To belittle someone is a cruel way of making someone else seem less important than yourself. A candidate for office might belittle his opponent by pointing out during a press conference that his fellow candidate has an inferior intellect. Belittling doesn't have to come in the form of verbal abuse. A manager who forces his administrative assistant to scrub his office floor with a toothbrush belittles her as well.
Vocabulary lists containing belittle
100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from the Third and Final Presidential Debate, October 19, 2016
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: September 29 - October 5, 2018
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As a Wisconsin grad, and something of a known jerk, my usual move here is to get snarky and belittle the University of Michigan’s brand new national championship in men’s basketball.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026
Concerning headlines and poor results allow them to belittle the Welsh game, even in a playful way.
From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026
“I will not belittle that one bit. But I will say, it’s the curse of a leader.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026
“No artist, producer, director, or leader—regardless of legacy or celebrity—should be allowed to weaponize their platform to belittle, threaten, or devalue others without consequence. Period,” the letter states.
From Salon ● May 31, 2025
Her sisters, older and not married, belittle her, treating the whole idea of the marriage scornfully, Vincent reports to Theo.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
Tanya Reynolds offers a broader glimpse of Caroline Bingley, a character who often belittles Mary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
It saddens me to say but relegation may be the only way forward to rescue this club from the poor quality ownership that belittles this once proud club.
From BBC ● Jan. 3, 2026
And that can make for a harsh internal voice that belittles and chastises us.
From New York Times ● Apr. 11, 2024
“There will be no compromise with any party that challenges, belittles or violates Malaysian laws,” he said in a statement on Facebook.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 22, 2023
“Not monster movies. My sister, as usual, belittles my chosen medium. Want to know the tide?”
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
It is fascinating to me that Thomas, who genuinely feels belittled by every single thing that has ever happened to him, has somehow gotten smaller on the job.
From Slate ● Apr. 17, 2026
US President Donald Trump said Friday that Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a leftist his administration long belittled, will visit the White House next month as he voiced optimism for ties.
From Barron's ● Jan. 9, 2026
It prompts other team members to drop out of the discussion or withhold information, fearing that they will be belittled if they speak up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025
Anyone presenting information not approved by the ruler is denounced and belittled, ostracized and denied access.
From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2025
My brain remembered just how long I’d been ignored and belittled.
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
The relationship ended after about four weeks at the start of September 2008, which the woman put down to Rossi's "belittling" of her and suggesting she needed "mental help".
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2025
And the teenage provocateur made no secret of that revulsion, loudly belittling his fellow students.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2025
Dr. Chernin acknowledged how stressful those conversations can be, sometimes deteriorating into finger-pointing, belittling or stonewalling.
From New York Times ● May 17, 2024
I was feeling like it was belittling what real activists do.
From Salon ● May 14, 2024
It probably seemed like I was belittling a moment they'd been waiting years to experience.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
