YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

belittle

Verb

IPA /bɪˈlɪtl/

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Meaning in plain English

To speak or act as if someone or their efforts have very little value.

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Pronunciation

belittle/bɪˈlɪtl/

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Someone is proud of an achievement
Another person dismisses it as worthless
The achievement is made to seem small

To belittle an achievement is to speak of it as if it has little value.

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Examples in context

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Please don't belittle her achievement just because the race was short.
A good supervisor corrects mistakes without belittling junior staff.

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Please don't ________ her achievement just because the race was short.

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belittle — To speak or act as if someone or their efforts have very little value.

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To speak or act as if someone or their efforts have very little value.

Compare: Please don't belittle her achievement just because the race was short.

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Word origin

Formed in English from be- and little, first recorded in the eighteenth century.

Did you know?

Belittling is used for behaviour or remarks that make someone feel small or unimportant.

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