talk down

verb

talked down; talking down; talks down

intransitive verb

: to speak in a condescending or oversimplified fashion

transitive verb

: to disparage or belittle by talking

Examples of talk down in a Sentence

a company that prefers to talk up its own products rather than talk down those of its competitors
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
No, that is not Wellens’ brutal honesty coming to the fore by talking down City with potentially inflammatory comments ahead of the big tie… that’s his wife Nicola, who will also be there on Saturday. Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025 Unfortunately, Burleson was talking down to his audience, some who might dare to disagree with him. Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2025 Know yourself, trust yourself: Medical self-advocacy Reflecting on several medical procedures, Shields shares the times doctors have diminished her pain or talked down to her. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025 He was talked down in most of the cases by cabinet secretaries and lawyers — until the advent of the coronavirus. Zolan Kanno-Youngs, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for talk down 

Word History

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of talk down was in 1642

Dictionary Entries Near talk down

Cite this Entry

“Talk down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/talk%20down. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

talk down

verb
: to speak in an overly simple manner as if to a person who does not know much
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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