trivialize

American  

[triv-ee-uh-lahyz] / ˈtrɪv i əˌlaɪz /

especially British, trivialise

verb (used with object)

trivialized, trivializing

1. to make trivial; cause to appear unimportant, trifling, etc.

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trivialize British  

/ ˈtrɪvɪəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to cause to seem trivial or more trivial; minimize

   he trivialized his injuries

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Usage

What does trivialize mean? Trivialize means to cause something to appear unimportant or insignificant, as in Gabe tried to trivialize the D he got in math, but his parents still grounded him.Trivialize is a verb form of the adjective trivial. It’s often used by the person being trivialized, rather than by the person doing the trivializing.Example: Do not trivialize the effort that was put into my project.

Other Word Forms

• trivialization noun

Etymology

Origin of trivialize

First recorded in 1840–50; trivial + -ize

Example Sentences

I don’t think that is a huge movement — to trivialize — as much as to say, “Hey, we should actually fight it where it is, fight it where the problems are.”

From Salon • Oct. 25, 2024

I don’t mean to trivialize it, but his specialty in comedy was improv.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 29, 2024

"It saddens us that someone with his reach and status would seem to trivialize the incident that led to such an outcome and heap further pain and suffering upon the family and friends of Anthony."

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2023

“We don’t want to trivialize what he said but we did have to acknowledge that he had made strides to better himself.”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 10, 2023

Visual analysis can help us to appreciate the beauty of a masterpiece, but we must be careful not to use a formulaic approach that would trivialize it.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

Related Words

• depreciate
• dismiss
• laugh off
• make light of
• minimize
• misprize
• play down
• pooh-pooh
• underestimate
• underplay
• underrate
• undervalue